Q.
Why do I need my Equipment Calibrated?
A.
Q.
Why should I purchase equipment for my occupational health program from
Audiometrics rather than my medical supply rep?
A. Account representatives from Audiometrics are
certified in Audiometry, Spirometry, and Breath Alcohol testing. Complete
familiarity with the OSHA regulations, experience in administering tests and the
most comprehensive product line in the industry enable us to recommend the right
instrument for your specific needs.
Q.
What is the difference between OSHA annual and exhaustive calibrations?
A. Microprocessor technology has all but taken over
the occupational market. The instruments are accurate, fast and effective. A
number of audiometers now have the capability to store more than a thousand
tests in the memory, compare current tests to baselines, calculate threshold
shifts and correct for aging. Whoever reviews the hearing tests and currently is
performing these calculations will truly appreciate this feature. The newest
innovation in microprocessor audiometers is "Multi Media". A
microprocessor audiometer used in conjunction with an audiometric software system
can actually give the initial test instructions and coach the patient verbally
in case of an error.
Q.
Does OSHA require that audiometric testing be done in a sound booth?
A. Audiometric testing must be done in an
environment that meets or exceeds OSHA's standards for ambient noise. While it
is possible to meet those standards in a "quiet room", it is difficult
to maintain them with the typical noise generated in a normal office setting. An
audiometric enclosure not only ensures compliance with OSHA but it also enables
your staff to be more productive. A sound booth used with a microprocessor
audiometer will allow your audiometric technician to do other things while the
employee is being tested. A test given in a quiet room requires that the
technician be in the room and remain quiet during the test.
Q. What is the advantage of using insert phones?
A.
Reduces the need for masking noise,
Increased test/retest reliability,
reduces background noise, and
will open collapsed canals.
Q.
Why is my Audiometer calibrated to ANSI S3.6-1989 or ANSI S3.6-1969 and
not the current standard of ANSI S3.6-1996?
Q. Do I need a wheelchair ramp for my sound booth?
A.Yes.
If the booth in not level with the ground then the ADA requires it.
Check the ADA Handbook for Specifications.
A. In addition to audiometers, middle ear
analyzers, ABR, ENG, OAE systems , sound booths,
spirometers, and software, we sell a variety of ECG instruments, vision testers,
breath alcohol testers, otoscopes and ophthalmoscopes, blood pressure
instruments, noise measurement equipment and "AED"s (Automated External Defibrillators).
Q.
Why use High Frequency
Tympanometry?
A. For some years it has
been recognised that conventional low-frequency probe tone tympanometry is
inappropriate for infants below about 7 months of age, because of the poor
sensitivity (ie, high false negatives) of conventional tympanometry to middle
ear disease in young infants. The main limitation of low-frequency
probe tone tympanometry appears to be the presence of Type A tympanograms based
on the Jerger/Liden classification (Jerger, 1970; Liden, 1969) despite the
presence of middle ear effusion diagnosed otoscopically or surgically. More
recently Keefe and Levi (1996) noted that some infants with flat 226 Hz
tympanograms have middle ear energy reflectance in the normal range at higher
frequencies, which suggests also that false positives as well as false negatives
occur when using low-frequency probe tone tympanometry in infants.