New WA WHS Regs – Audiometric testing
The new WA Work Health & Safety Regulations 2022
The new nationally harmonized Work Health & Safety Act 2020 and Regulations came into effect from 31st March 2022 in WA. These are governed by Worksafe WA.
With these regulations come some significant changes. This article refers to those changes around Noise and Audiometric Testing.
For WA businesses that have noisy workplaces
Under the new WA Regulations there is now a requirement for 2 yearly audiometric testing.
2 yearly hearing tests
For any worksite where hearing protection is required to be worn due to hazardous noise levels (>LAeq85dB), the employer or PCBU must provide a 2 yearly audiometric testing program for exposed employees. This is essentially to monitor for noise induced hearing loss.
These new WHS regulations are additional to the 1991 Workers Compensation & Rehabilitation Regulations that require employees exposed to a prescribed (noisy environment i.e. >LAeq90dB) to have a hearing test conducted and the result registered with WorkCover WA as a “Baseline” measure for future comparison.
The new WHS regulations place a duty on the person running a business to provide audiometric testing for workers who use personal hearing protection:
(a) within 3 months of the worker commencing the work; and
(b) in any event, at least every 2 years
There is now a penalty for this subregulation:
(a) for an individual, a fine of $7 000;
(b) for a body corporate, a fine of $35 000.
Onsite Audiometric Testing – Perth and WA
Work Health Professionals (WHP) operate WA’s longest running onsite (mobile) audiometric testing service.
Our onsite hearing testing meets the new regulation requirements with a WorkCover accredited audiometric testing and hearing conservation service to both AS/NZS 1269 standards and WorkCover WA requirements.
WHP is Perth based and also provides annual regional road trips across WA to support regional and remote sites
Our two accredited mobile audiometric testing facilities offer a convenient and cost-effective way of meeting your WorkCover and new WHS legislative requirements.
WHP’s onsite audiometric testing service includes:
- a WorkCover accredited tester and mobile testing facility at your worksite/s
- a copy of results to the employee
- consultation with each employee about their hearing test results and hearing conservation
- a copy of results to the employer
- registration of the result with Workcover WA (if required)
- registration of each result on WHP’s risk management database for comparison with subsequent tests to help clients manage the risk associated of Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL)
- provide consultation to clients regarding Hearing Conservation and risk management
Other Hearing Conservation & NIHL Risk Management Services
To help you manage the hazard of noise at your workplace we also provide
- Noise surveys and
- Onsite Ear plug fit testing
Both services can be run individually or in conjunction with your Hearing Conservation/ Audiometric Testing programs.
The WHP team
Work Health Professionals’ Noise Officers and Audiometric Officers are all accredited and approved by WorkSafe WA and WorkCover WA.
With a clear understanding of the new WHS regulations, a long history of onsite audiometric testing provision, NIHL and WA Workers Compensation regulations, you won’t regret engaging our personal, informed service that aims at making compliance easy for you.
Get in touch so we can help you get set up to meet your legislative requirements.