30 C.F.R. §§ 62.170–62.175

Baseline audiogram. The mine operator must offer miners the opportunity for audiometric testing of the miner's hearing sensitivity for the purpose of establishing a valid baseline audiogram to compare with subsequent annual audiograms. The mine operator may use an existing audiogram of the miner's hearing sensitivity as the baseline audiogram if it meets the audiometric testing requirements of § 62.171 of this part.

Annual audiogram. After the baseline audiogram is established, the mine operator must continue to offer subsequent audiometric tests at intervals not exceeding 12 months for as long as the miner remains in the hearing conservation program.

Revised baseline audiogram. An annual audiogram must be deemed to be a revised baseline audiogram when, in the judgment of the physician or audiologist:

All audiometric testing under this part must be conducted in accordance with scientifically validated procedures. Audiometric tests must be pure tone, air conduction, hearing threshold examinations, with test frequencies including 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, and 6000 Hz. Each ear must be tested separately.

The mine operator must compile an audiometric test record for each miner tested. The record must include:

The operator must maintain audiometric test records for the duration of the affected miner's employment, plus at least 6 months, and make the records available for inspection by an authorized representative of the Secretary of Labor.

In determining whether a standard threshold shift or reportable hearing loss has occurred, allowance may be made for the contribution of aging (presbycusis) to the change in hearing level. The baseline, or the revised baseline as appropriate, and the annual audiograms used in making the determination should be adjusted according to the following procedure:

If a valid audiogram cannot be obtained due to a suspected medical pathology of the ear that the physician or audiologist believes was caused or aggravated by the miner's occupational exposure to noise or the wearing of hearing protectors, the mine operator must refer the miner for a clinical-audiological evaluation or an otological examination, as appropriate, at no cost to the miner.

If a valid audiogram cannot be obtained due to a suspected medical pathology of the ear that the physician or audiologist concludes is unrelated to the miner's occupational exposure to noise or the wearing of hearing protectors, the mine operator must instruct the physician or audiologist to inform the miner of the need for an otological examination.

The mine operator must instruct the physician, audiologist, or qualified technician not to reveal to the mine operator, without the written consent of the miner, any specific findings or diagnoses unrelated to the miner's occupational exposure to noise or the wearing of hearing protectors.

Retrain the miner, including the instruction required by § 62.180 of this part;

Provide the miner with the opportunity to select a hearing protector, or a different hearing protector if the miner has previously selected a hearing protector, from among those offered by the mine operator in accordance with § 62.160 of this part; and

Review the effectiveness of any engineering and administrative controls to identify and correct any deficiencies.

The mine operator must, within 10 working days of receiving the results of an audiogram, or receiving the results of a follow-up evaluation required under § 62.173 of this part, notify the miner in writing of:

When evaluation of the audiogram shows that a miner has incurred a reportable hearing loss as defined in this part, the mine operator must report such loss to MSHA as a noise-induced hearing loss in accordance with part 50 of this title, unless a physician or audiologist has determined that the loss is neither work-related nor aggravated by occupational noise exposure.