If your workers frequently use hearing protection because workplace noise exceeds the exposure standard, audiometric testing is no longer optional. In Western Australia, employers must understand when testing is required, how often it must occur, and what records and follow-up actions are needed to stay compliant.

Legal requirements for audiometric testing in WA

Hearing tests used to manage workplace noise exposure are now regulated under the WorkSafe WA WHS Regulations.

  • The previous requirement to register baseline tests with WorkCover WA ended in 2024.
  • Employers must focus entirely on meeting WHS Regulation 58 requirements.
  • You must maintain suitable on-site testing records.

Many Western Australian PCBUs arrange audiometric testing only to discover their provider cannot deliver the ongoing surveillance, comparison of results over time, and practical reporting that Regulation 58 strictly requires.

Other providers can tie up staff for 30 minutes, and supply raw data without clear direction. This can leave the employer fully responsible for interpreting complex charts and figuring out the next legal steps.

The Exposure Standards Triggering Regulation 58

  • Regulation 58 makes audiometric testing mandatory if workers wear earmuffs or earplugs to control noise above national exposure standards:
    An 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 dB(A).
  • A peak noise level of 140 dB(C).

This requirement is critical for Western Australian industries where workers are regularly exposed to loud plant, machinery, fabrication tools, heavy vehicles, or processing equipment.

Key Compliance Checkpoints for WA Employers

Baseline Testing Window: must be completed within 3 months of a worker starting a noise-exposed role.

Monitoring Test Frequency: conducted at least every 2 years to actively track for any noise-induced hearing loss.

Employer Cost Obligation: the Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) must fully organise and pay for all tests.

Strict Testing Standards: tests must follow procedures outlined in AS/NZS 1269.4:2014 (Occupational noise management – Auditory assessment) and be run by a competent person.

Keeping records: employers must securely maintain confidential audiometric records for at least 2 years, as well as provide workers immediate access to their results

Seamless Management of your WHS Regulation 58 Compliance

If you need to establish ironclad workplace audiometric testing records, Work Health Professionals can fully manage the process for you.

  • Onsite Convenience: 3 purpose built mobile testing facilities with calibrated equipment travel directly to your worksite.
  • Competent Professionals: Trained Noise and Audiometric officers handle the testing from start to finish.
  • Actionable Reports: We provide the employer with explicit reports outlining required safety actions.
  • Secure Surveillance: We securely store historical data so future tests can be systematically compared over time.

Contact Work Health Professionals today to audit your current system or arrange on-site audiometric testing

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