85B.9 MEASURING HEARING LOSS.
1. Audiometric instruments, properly calibrated to the American
national standards institute specifications, shall be used for
measuring hearing levels and in such tests necessary to establish
total hearing loss, if any. The hearing tests and examinations shall
be conducted in environments which comply with accepted national
standards.
2. Audiometric examinations shall be administered by persons who
are certified by the council for accreditation in occupational
hearing conservation or by persons licensed as audiologists under
chapter 154F, or as physicians or osteopathic physicians and surgeons
under chapter 148, provided the licensed persons are trained in
audiometry.
3. In calculating the total amount of hearing loss, the hearing
levels at each of the four frequencies, five hundred, one thousand,
two thousand, and three thousand Hertz, shall be added together and
divided by four to determine the average decibel hearing level for
each ear. If the resulting average decibel hearing level in either
ear is twenty-five decibels or less, the percentage hearing loss for
that ear shall be zero. For each resulting average decibel hearing
level exceeding twenty-five decibels, an allowance of one and
one-half percent shall be made up to the maximum of one hundred
percent which is reached at an average decibel hearing level of
ninety-two decibels. In determining the total binaural percentage
hearing loss, the percentage hearing loss for the ear with better
hearing shall be multiplied by five and added to the percentage
hearing loss for the ear with worse hearing and the sum of the two
divided by six.
4. a. The assessment of the proportion of the total binaural
percentage hearing loss that is due to occupational noise exposure
shall be made by the employer's regular or consulting physician or
licensed audiologist who is trained and has had experience with such
assessment. If several audiometric examinations are available for
assessment, the physician or audiologist shall determine which
examinations shall be used in the final assessment of occupational
hearing loss.
b. If the employee disputes the assessment, the employee may
select a physician or licensed audiologist similarly trained and
experienced to give an assessment of the audiometric examinations.
5. This section is applicable in the event of partial permanent
or total permanent occupational hearing loss in one or both ears.
Section History: Early Form
[C81, § 85B.9; 81 Acts, ch 42, § 1]
Section History: Recent Form
98 Acts, ch 1160, § 6; 2008 Acts, ch 1088, §81
Referred to in § 85B.9A
85B.9 MEASURING HEARING LOSS.
1. Audiometric instruments, properly calibrated to the American
national standards institute specifications, shall be used for
measuring hearing levels and in such tests necessary to establish
total hearing loss, if any. The hearing tests and examinations shall
be conducted in environments which comply with accepted national
standards.
2. Audiometric examinations shall be administered by persons who
are certified by the council for accreditation in occupational
hearing conservation or by persons licensed as audiologists under
chapter 154F, or as physicians or osteopathic physicians and surgeons
under chapter 148, provided the licensed persons are trained in
audiometry.
3. In calculating the total amount of hearing loss, the hearing
levels at each of the four frequencies, five hundred, one thousand,
two thousand, and three thousand Hertz, shall be added together and
divided by four to determine the average decibel hearing level for
each ear. If the resulting average decibel hearing level in either
ear is twenty-five decibels or less, the percentage hearing loss for
that ear shall be zero. For each resulting average decibel hearing
level exceeding twenty-five decibels, an allowance of one and
one-half percent shall be made up to the maximum of one hundred
percent which is reached at an average decibel hearing level of
ninety-two decibels. In determining the total binaural percentage
hearing loss, the percentage hearing loss for the ear with better
hearing shall be multiplied by five and added to the percentage
hearing loss for the ear with worse hearing and the sum of the two
divided by six.
4. a. The assessment of the proportion of the total binaural
percentage hearing loss that is due to occupational noise exposure
shall be made by the employer's regular or consulting physician or
licensed audiologist who is trained and has had experience with such
assessment. If several audiometric examinations are available for
assessment, the physician or audiologist shall determine which
examinations shall be used in the final assessment of occupational
hearing loss.
b. If the employee disputes the assessment, the employee may
select a physician or licensed audiologist similarly trained and
experienced to give an assessment of the audiometric examinations.
5. This section is applicable in the event of partial permanent
or total permanent occupational hearing loss in one or both ears.
Section History: Early Form
[C81, § 85B.9; 81 Acts, ch 42, § 1]
Section History: Recent Form
98 Acts, ch 1160, § 6; 2008 Acts, ch 1088, §81
Referred to in § 85B.9A
85B.9 MEASURING HEARING LOSS.
1. Audiometric instruments, properly calibrated to the American
national standards institute specifications, shall be used for
measuring hearing levels and in such tests necessary to establish
total hearing loss, if any. The hearing tests and examinations shall
be conducted in environments which comply with accepted national
standards.
2. Audiometric examinations shall be administered by persons who
are certified by the council for accreditation in occupational
hearing conservation or by persons licensed as audiologists under
chapter 154F, or as physicians or osteopathic physicians and surgeons
under chapter 148, provided the licensed persons are trained in
audiometry.
3. In calculating the total amount of hearing loss, the hearing
levels at each of the four frequencies, five hundred, one thousand,
two thousand, and three thousand Hertz, shall be added together and
divided by four to determine the average decibel hearing level for
each ear. If the resulting average decibel hearing level in either
ear is twenty-five decibels or less, the percentage hearing loss for
that ear shall be zero. For each resulting average decibel hearing
level exceeding twenty-five decibels, an allowance of one and
one-half percent shall be made up to the maximum of one hundred
percent which is reached at an average decibel hearing level of
ninety-two decibels. In determining the total binaural percentage
hearing loss, the percentage hearing loss for the ear with better
hearing shall be multiplied by five and added to the percentage
hearing loss for the ear with worse hearing and the sum of the two
divided by six.
4. a. The assessment of the proportion of the total binaural
percentage hearing loss that is due to occupational noise exposure
shall be made by the employer's regular or consulting physician or
licensed audiologist who is trained and has had experience with such
assessment. If several audiometric examinations are available for
assessment, the physician or audiologist shall determine which
examinations shall be used in the final assessment of occupational
hearing loss.
b. If the employee disputes the assessment, the employee may
select a physician or licensed audiologist similarly trained and
experienced to give an assessment of the audiometric examinations.
5. This section is applicable in the event of partial permanent
or total permanent occupational hearing loss in one or both ears.
Section History: Early Form
[C81, § 85B.9; 81 Acts, ch 42, § 1]
Section History: Recent Form
98 Acts, ch 1160, § 6; 2008 Acts, ch 1088, §81
Referred to in § 85B.9A
