NHCA/CAOHC Past Webinars

The National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) coordinates with the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC) to host the NHCA/CAOHC webinar series. The series offers high-level webinar content on hot topics and top-notch speakers!   

If you are a member of CAOHC or NHCA enjoy special member pricing and discounts.


 

2023 Webinars:

 

Topic: Considerations When Selecting Hearing Protection for Hearing-Critical Tasks

 

This webinar was recorded. No CEU credits of any kind will be offered for viewing the recorded version of this webinar. 

 

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When: November 16, 2023 2:00PM - 3:00PM EST

 

CEUs: 1-hour CEU (AAA and 0.1 ASHA CEU)

 

Pricing:
$38 - CAOHC/NHCA members
$50 - Non-members
About the Webinar: 

Functional hearing is critical for many tasks in the military and public safety where performance impacts could have life-threatening consequences. However, many of these occupations also involve frequent exposure to harmful noise. Ideally, our warfighters and public safety officers (PSOs) would have readily accessible Hearing Protection Devices (HPDs) that protect them from high-level noise exposures while preserving auditory situation awareness (SA). The unfortunate reality is that many HPDs degrade auditory SA, so our Service Members (SMs) and PSOs must often make a deliberate choice when engaging in hearing-critical life-threatening tasks between 1) wearing a hearing protector and sacrificing some SA or 2) operating without hearing protection and risking a temporary shift in hearing thresholds, both of which may impact their performance during the mission. The latter choice may also result in permanent hearing damage, which could impact fitness for duty or make them less effective in future operations. Yet, many still choose to operate without hearing protection.

Many forms of HPDs are available to mitigate the risk of both long- and short-term damage to the auditory system, and each have certain advantages and drawbacks in terms of their effect on functional hearing. Historically, this is assessed in laboratory settings at the individual level using highly controlled speech perception, sound detection, and localization experiments. In practice, SMs and PSOs rely on effective communication between individuals in environments with dynamic sources of auditory and visual input that compete for attention. 

Given the complexity and multifaceted nature of combat operations, few studies have evaluated the impact of hearing protection and hearing loss in these environments. In this presentation, we will review the relevant literature and highlight a series of completed and planned studies aimed at measuring the functional impact of hearing loss and various hearing protection conditions on SMs in field operations. The hope is that these studies will help to illustrate and quantify the importance of hearing in combat operations and provide valuable evidence to inform the selection of hearing protection for our Warfighters and PSOs.

Moderator: Kathy Gates

Presenter:

  • Benjamin Sheffield holds dual degrees in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. After a four-year stint working in the defense industry, he got his start in auditory research as a volunteer in a hearing and speech lab while in graduate school at UC Irvine. He now has 16 years of experience working in auditory research, including the last 13 in a dual appointment with the Defense Centers for Public Health – Aberdeen and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He has been the principal investigator on several studies examining the relationship between hearing acuity and operational performance and is a project lead on several public health surveillance projects leveraging boothless audiometry.
    • Financial Disclosures: None
    • Non-Financial Disclosures: None

Program Level: Intermediate

Learning Objectives: 

  1. Describe forms of objective and subjective assessment for quantifying combat performance.
  2. Discuss the potential drawbacks of forgoing use of HPDs while engaging in combat operations.
  3. Describe different types of hearing protection and their impact on communication ability and operational performance.

Cancellation Policy: Webinar purchases are non-refundable.

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Topic: Using age adjustments in audiometric monitoring: Validity concerns, practical considerations, and OSHA guidance

 

This webinar was recorded. No CEU credits of any kind will be offered for viewing the recorded version of this webinar. 

 

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When: September 21, 2023 2:00PM - 3:00PM EST

 

CEUs: 1-hour CEU (AAA and 0.1 ASHA CEU)

 

Pricing:
$38 - CAOHC/NHCA members
$50 - Non-members
About the Webinar: 

In monitoring audiometry, adjustments to threshold changes (often called age corrections) can be used to account for changes in hearing that may be due to non-noise factors.  The OSHA hearing conservation amendment (45 CFR 1910.95) includes an age adjustment table based on a relatively small NIOSH study from the early 1970s. However, if age adjustments are used, the OSHA Technical Manual currently recommends using recently published age adjustment data (Flamme et al., 2019) instead of the tables in the OSHA hearing conservation amendment.  The updated age adjustment tables reveal a population trend toward less age-related change than the original NIOSH tables at younger ages, address differences by race/ethnicity, and extend the age range to account for older workers in today’s workforce.  NIOSH continues to recommend against any age adjustment in threshold shift determination.  This presentation includes the underpinnings of the NIOSH adjustment tables in the noise standard, the validity issues that initiated the update, and the development and validation of the age adjustment tables that are now recommended in the OSHA Technical Manual. 

Moderator: Laura Kauth

Presenters:

  • Dr. Kristy Deiters is a research audiologist and consultant with a doctorate in Audiology (Au.D) from Western Michigan University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing and Economics from Alma College.  Dr. Deiters' research interests range from changes in hearing over time, reliability of hearing thresholds, the dependability of middle ear muscle contractions as hearing protection, and the epidemiology of and risk factors for hearing loss.  In 2021, Dr. Deiters and her co-workers received the NIOSH Alice Hamilton Award for Excellence in Occupational Safety and Health (Epidemiology and Surveillance category) for their leadership through science and publishing their work on population-based age adjustment tables for occupational hearing conservation programs.
    • Financial Disclosures: None
    • Non-Financial Disclosures: None
  • Dr. Gregory Flamme is the Senior Scientist and Chief Operating Officer of Stephenson and Stephenson Research and Consulting (SASRAC), which is a company founded by Dr. Mark Stephenson and Dr. Carol Stephenson. Dr. Flamme has a Ph.D. in Audiology from the University of Memphis, completed post-doctoral work in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Iowa, and was an Associate Professor in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology at Western Michigan University prior to joining SASRAC. Dr. Flamme's research interests include the prevention, treatment, and epidemiological study of hearing impairment.

    • Financial Disclosures: None
    • Non-Financial Disclosures: None

Program Level: Intermediate

Learning Objectives: 

  1. Attendees will critique the empirical basis for the age adjustments (corrections) included in the OSHA Hearing Conservation Amendment.
  2. Attendees will recognize the disadvantages of applying age adjustments that do not represent workers today.
  3. Attendees will understand how NHANES data can be used to provide validated contemporary age adjustments.

Cancellation Policy: Webinar purchases are non-refundable.

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Topic: Hearing Protection Devices Update 

 

This webinar was recorded. No CEU credits of any kind will be offered for this webinar. 

 

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When: July 27, 2023 2:00PM - 3:00PM EST

 

CEUs: None

 

Pricing: Free
About the Webinar: This webinar will offer a closer look at new hearing protection devices products available. 

Presenters:

  • Laura Kauth, Moderator
  • Tim Chismar - 3M
    • 3M Personal Safety Division offers comprehensive solutions, influenced by our vast industrial experience, to proactively address growing worker health and safety needs in our rapidly evolving world.  Protecting people, improving lives, and enhancing productivity. 

      • Tim Chismar is the North American Product Marketer for the 3M™ PELTOR™ Portfolio of protective communication solutions.  With a background in biomedical engineering and business administration (and a former COHC), Tim has developed and supported numerous auditory solutions over the last 15 years including products under the Littmann® brand of stethoscopes and now with PELTOR protective communication headsets.
  • Susan Cooper - CavCom
    • CavCom is a privately held company with manufacturing facilities in Walker, MN and staff throughout the United States. CavCom manufactures innovative products designed to prevent hearing loss and improve radio communications in high noise and respirator environments. Our electronics interface with any 2-way radio on the market, and our earsets simultaneously provide safe listening levels and superior hearing protection. CavCom is the original “Talk Through Your Ears®” technology.
      • Susan received a bachelor’s degree from Emory University and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in audiology from the University of Kansas. She is certified as an audiologist (CCC-A) by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and has been active in many professional organizations. Susan has served on the noise committee of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), as Chair of the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation, President of the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA), and on the board of directors of the NHCA Scholarship Foundation. She is also a recipient of NHCA’s Threadgill Award for Outstanding Service. She has authored numerous articles on hearing conservation regulatory matters and is co-author of “Workers’ Compensation” in AIHA’s Noise Manual. Susan serves as hearing conservation and regulatory specialist for CavCom, editor of the SoundBytes newsletter, and oversees product development and continuous improvement for manufacturing.
  • James Schrack – Decibullz 
    • Decibullz came about in 2012 as the brainchild of founder Kyle Kirkpatrick, who wanted a way to keep his earphones in his ears while doing all the extreme sports he loved to do while listening to music. Custom earphones existed, but they were expensive and quite a commitment. He got creating and developed a patented thermoplastic molding system that allowed users to shape a material quickly and easily to their individual ear, and remold and reshape as many times as needed at an affordable price point. Quickly the opportunity arose to utilize the same patented thermoplastic molding system to address a gap in the market of hearing protection. Today Decibullz has sold over a million molds into the marketplace providing an affordable, and accessible spin on custom molded earplugs and earpieces. All Decibullz products utilize the same Easy Shape molding system, where the molds are dropped into hot water, left to soften for about 5 minutes and then pressed into the user's ear for a comfortable and snug fit. This simple process can be repeated as many times as needed to achieve the most comfortable and protective fit. The standard NRR31 earplugs come in 6 different colors and have an MSRP of $25.99. They are the number one hunting and shooting earplugs on Amazon for the past several years and are prevalent in the retail sporting goods industry, most big box retailers, and hundreds of independent retailers across the country and abroad. Decibullz has several products within the family that include Acoustic High Fidelity Fillers, Professional High Fidelity filters, Persecutive Shooting filters, and several Acoustic tube radio earpiece adapters. The whole goal of Decibullz is to make custom more accessible to the masses. We want to make it easy to do, affordable, and not such a burdensome process so that more people can experience the benefits of custom.
    • James Schrack is a Colorado native and relentless entrepreneur. He joined the Decibullz team in early 2019 and quickly grew the wholesale side of the blossoming business quickly. James thrives in a scrappy environment and loves to achieve things others see as impossible. His background is not in hearing protection, but rather in taking great new innovative products to market and he quickly latched on to the Decibullz team and vision. He continues to love the atmosphere and really believes in the direction and technology Decibullz has to offer and believes it has a unique fit into the marketplace.
  • Andy Wetjen – Protective Industrial Products (PIP)
    • PIP is a Head to Toe manufacturer of workplace safety PPE specializing in Hand Protection, Above-the-Neck PPE (eye, face, head, hearing), Protective Workwear, and Arc Flash & Electrical Safety. This section of the webinar will provide an overview of the wide-variety of basic hearing protection options discussing: variety and quality vs compliance fit, size options, compatibility with other PPE, and customizations (colors, logos).
      • Andy Wetjen's background is in Industrial Safety Supply products and sales since 1996.
  • Program Level: Beginner

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Topic: Noise Surveys and Evaluating Impulse Noise

 

This webinar was recorded. No CEU credits of any kind will be offered for viewing the recorded version of this webinar. 

 

Register Now

 

When: May 11, 2023 2:00PM - 3:00PM EST

 

CEUs: 1-hour CEU (AAA and 0.1 ASHA CEU)

 

Pricing:
$38 - CAOHC/NHCA members
$50 - Non-members
About the Webinar:

This webinar will address current practices for quantifying workplace noise and how they identify noise-hazardous locations and quantify individual worker noise exposures. The math underlying operation of noise dosimeters is explained with the goal of improving accuracy of automated readings.

Presenters:

  • Charles Jokel - Mr. Charles Jokel received an MS degree in engineering from the University of Texas in 1972, complementing his MAT degree in the teaching of science received from Colgate University in 1969.  Mr. Jokel currently works for the U.S. Army Defense Centers for Public Health in Aberdeen Maryland as a noise control engineer, consulting on Army noise problems and providing expertise on noise issues for the Army Health Hazard Assessment Program.  Prior to joining the Army in 2004, he had worked in private industry as a noise control consultant, specializing in industrial and product noise control.  One of Mr. Jokel’s numerous technical papers in the field of noise control, the NIOSH publication“Industrial Noise Control, revised edition” was one of that agency’s most popular publications.
    • Financial Disclosures
      • None
    • Non-Financial Disclosures
      • None
  • Christopher J. Smalt is a technical staff member in the Human Health & Performance Systems Group at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. His current work focuses on computational auditory modeling, specifically on mechanisms of hearing damage and the effect of noise exposure on hearing and cognitive performance. As part his research, he has developed a personal noise monitoring system for industrial and tactical environments with combined continuous and impulse noise, as well as taken and analyzed noise data during military training exercises. Dr. Smalt received a BS degree in computer engineering from Clarkson University and earned both MS and PhD degrees in electrical engineering from Purdue University
    • Financial Disclosures
      • None
    • Non-Financial Disclosures
      • None

    Moderator:

  • J. Andrew Merkley - Dr. Merkley is an occupational and clinical Audiologist with over 22 years of experience in both national and international workplaces. His experience includes small clinic management to strategic oversight and responsibility for large multi-clinic regions.  His presentation experience includes podium, poster, and full workshop presentations at national and international conferences on topics including hearing health education, process improvement, and management of workplace hearing injuries.  He holds a Master of Science in Communicative Disorders from Utah State University and Doctor of Audiology from Central Michigan University. He holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. He is certified as a Course Director and Professional Supervisor by the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation and also serves as the Council Chair.

Program Level: Intermediate

Learning Objectives: 

  1. Identify procedures for performing workplace noise surveys. 

  2. Identify procedures for quantifying workplace noise exposures.

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Topic: Virtual Patient Software

 

This webinar was recorded. No CEU credits of any kind are offered for viewing the recorded version of this webinar. 

 

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When: March 30, 2023 2:00PM - 3:00PM EST

 

CEUs: 1-hour CEU (AAA and 0.1 ASHA CEU)

 

Pricing:
$38 - CAOHC/NHCA members
$50 - Non-members
About the Webinar:

This session was designed to aid hearing conservationists and educators with the successful application of virtual audiometry and patient simulators during training activities. Several website- and software-based programs have been developed for general diagnostic audiology education, and to date two such website-based tools have been developed specifically to facilitate manual testing technique training for Occupational Hearing Conservationists. The developers of those programs will demonstrate their use, discuss the application of these types of alternative teaching delivery methods, and provide guidance on the development of partial or fully virtual practica in the context of CAOHC training courses.

Presenters:

  • Frank Wartinger, Au.D., ABAC, is an active CAOHC Course Director and the founder of Earmark Hearing Conservation, a music audiology clinic in Philadelphia. He serves on the CAOHC (Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation) Course Director Committee, is an adjunct faculty at Wayne State University, and co-authored the AAA 2020 Clinical Consensus Document “Audiological Services for Musicians and Music Industry Personnel”. He is an active member of the NHCA (National Hearing Conservation Association) Music Induced Hearing Disorders Task Force and served as the NHCA Director of Communications from 2017-2019. Additionally, Dr. Wartinger created and hosts “Talking Ears”, a musician-focused hearing health podcast.

  • Sarah Mouser, Au.D., CCC-A, CPS/A is the owner of Occupational Sound Solutions and an active CAOHC Course Director. She is based in North Carolina however; she manages Hearing Conservation Programs for companies all over the United States. Dr. Mouser is currently licensed in 26 states. In addition, Dr. Mouser owns and operates an Ophthalmology and Clinical Audiology practice, Southeastern Eye Care, PA, with her husband who is an Ophthalmologist.

  • Kirsten McCall, Au.D., CCC-A, CPS/A Practicing as an occupational audiologist for over 25 years, Kirsten’s passion is the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss. She is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the National Hearing Conservation Association. Kirsten became a certified Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC) Course Director in 1994. Dr. McCall teaches numerous initial and recertification courses to nurses, physicians, industrial hygienists, safety personnel, and medical assistants from occupational health clinics. She currently serves on the CAOHC Council, representing ASHA, and is chair of the OHC / CD committee. Kirsten is also a CAOHC-certified Professional Supervisor. As a consulting audiologist to industry, Dr. McCall serves as the Professional Supervisor of numerous hearing conservation programs.  Her responsibilities include audiometric data review and reporting, determination of work-relatedness, compliance audits, and professional supervision of audiometric technicians, hearing loss prevention training, and comprehensive noise surveys.In 2015, Dr. McCall launched her own company, Audiology Consulting and Training. Recreationally, Kirsten’s other passion is golf.

Program Level: Intermediate

Learning Objectives: 

  1. Operate the available virtual audiometric patient simulators
  2. Employ the tools available to conduct virtual audiometry training in their courses.
  3. Identify the steps required to plan a partially or fully virtual CAOHC practicum training session. 
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2022 Webinars:

Topic: Boothless Audiometry Technology Overview and Updates

This webinar was recorded. No CEU credits of any kind will be offered for viewing the recorded version of this webinar. 

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When: September 15, 2022 2:00PM - 3:00PM EST

CEUs not available - No credits of any kind will be offered for viewing this webinar.

Pricing:
$38 - CAOHC/NHCA members
$50 - Non-members
About the Webinar:

Over the past decade, several companies have worked to develop novel platforms to enable hearing assessment outside of the sound booth, to improve accessibility as well as efficiency. Effective solutions must include capabilities to meet additional requirements for specialty populations and markets, including foreign and domestic militaries as well as U.S. veterans. Expanded awareness and knowledge of boothless technologies is needed to inform and accelerate adoption and application of boothless audiometry to provide hearing health services. However, it can be challenging to track technological advancements in boothless audiometry products. This webinar will present an overview of boothless audiometry technologies currently available to the hearing conservation professional. Attendees will be provided overview presentations from participating boothless audiometry representatives and how these specific devices can be used for hearing conservation monitoring audiometry.

Presenters:

  • Laura Prigge is an Application Specialist with GSI. Laura received her Doctorate of Audiology degree from AT Still University. Laura’s 20+ years of experience includes providing manufacturing support for a leading hearing aid manufacturer as well as technical audiology training and support for an international audiologic equipment company. Prior to that, she managed education and training at another hearing aid manufacturer and conducted audiologic evaluations on children, adults, and geriatric patients at a retail hearing center. 

The Automated Method for Testing Auditory Sensitivity, or AMTAS (Grason-Stadler, Inc. [GSI]), is a software program that functions with a GSI audiometer or as a stand-alone system using a tablet (see Figure 2). AMTAS allows a patient to take a self-directed hearing test. The AMTAS diagnostic and screening procedure uses patented test methods and accuracy algorithms researched, developed, implemented, and validated over 10 years.

  • James (Jesse) A. Norris, Ph.D., has a background in biomedical engineering and applied research. Within auditory science, he has studied relationships between attenuation and comfort for custom earplugs; developed algorithms and hardware to support otoacoustic emissions research; and designed and built new hearing test equipment that pairs with mobile devices to increase the reach of hearing health care. He currently works at Edare and has been focused on transitioning hearing related technologies from research into products. He has helped Edare develop a production-ready quality system, register with the FDA, and oversees product development, manufacturing, and support.

The Wireless Automated Hearing Test System, or WAHTS, (Edare) was developed to increase access to hearing health care by eliminating the need for soundproof booth and highly trained personnel (Meinke et al., 2017). The Edare WAHTS device is an FDA-approved device for clinical application. The WAHTS system includes multiple test options, including manual audiometry, manual or automated screening, speech-in-noise testing, and additional tests for research initiatives.

  • Renée Lefrançois obtained her degree in Audiology from the University of Ottawa, Canada in 1999. The first fifteen years of her career focused on cochlear implantation; first as a clinician and then managing the Canadian arm of Advanced Bionics LLC. Renée has also been a seasonal lecturer at the University of Ottawa teaching both full courses and individual modules in Audiology. As a founding member of CanHEAR Uganda (2007), Renée delivered hearing health care services and training in several cities in Uganda. In 2014, Renée joined the SHOEBOX Ltd. team as their Director of Audiology. Having obtained her CAOHC PS(A) certification in November 2018, she has spent the last several years focusing on occupational health and is currently managing the professional supervision and clinical review activities for many occupational health customers. Current areas of interest include occupational health, noise-induced hearing loss, teleaudiology, population health, ototoxicity, and the genetics of hearing loss.

The SHOEBOX audiometer (SHOEBOX, Ltd.) is the first portable, iPad-based audiometer listed as a Class II device by both the U.S. FDA and Health Canada. The SHOEBOX audiometer (see Figure 5) is calibrated to ANSI S3.6-2018 and meets ANSI S3.1-1999 (R2018) for testing outside of a sound booth. It includes options for both manual and automated testing and is designed to be used by audiologists or other trained personnel. SHOEBOX has been clinically validated for use as a diagnostic audiometer even when testing is performed outside of a sound booth. 

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CEUs not available: No credits of any kind will be offered for viewing the recorded version of this webinar.

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Topic: Determining Work Relatedness - Exploring The Gray Areas

This webinar was recorded. No CEU credits of any kind will be offered for viewing the recorded version of this webinar. 

When: July 21, 2022 at 2:00pm ET

Register Here

About the Webinar: An important part of occupational safety, and of hearing conservation, is record-keeping. One of the most important, yet often dreaded, records is the OSHA 300 log, which records workplace injuries/ illness. OSHA’s 29 CFR 1904.5 on recordability tells us “You must consider an injury or illness to be work-related if an event or exposure in the work environment either caused or contributed to the resulting condition or significantly aggravated a pre-existing injury or illness”. But multiple factors impact hearing, and hearing monitoring as required by OSHA is non-diagnostic. Some cases may be fairly clearly related, or clearly not related to workplace exposure. But what about the gray areas?

In this webinar, a panel of experienced reviewers will describe OSHA’s standard, and the 2011 NHCA Guidelines for Recording Hearing Loss on the OSHA 300 Log, a set of recommendations on factors to consider in determining work relatedness. The group will then review some sample cases from the “gray area”, where work-relatedness is not so easily decided. We will close with attendees’ opinions on these cases, discussion of their own experiences, and any questions they may have.

Presenters: 

  • Laura Kauth, MA, CCC-A, CPS/A has no relevant financial information to disclose. MS Kauth discloses her relevant non-financial relationship as a representative of NHCA as director of education.

  • Dr. Raúl A. Mirza has no relevant financial information to disclose. Dr. Mirza discloses his relevant non-financial relationship as chair of the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC).

  • Dr. Mary M. McDaniels has no relevant financial or non-financial information to disclose. 

Learning Objectives: 

  • Describe OSHA’s basis for determining recordability.
  • Identify factors which should and should not be considered in determining work relatedness.
  • Apply this knowledge in assessing potentially recordable losses.

CEUs available:  1-hour CEU (AAA and 0.1 ASHA CEU)

No credits of any kind will be offered for viewing the recorded version of this webinar.

Pricing: 

NHCA and CAOHC members: $38

Non-members: $50


 

Topic: Effective Hearing Conservation Messaging and Motivation

This webinar was not recorded. 

When: May 19, 2022 at 2:00pm ET 

About the Webinar: Regulations specify that workers in hearing conservation programs must be trained and what content must be covered. However, there is great latitude towards how training is done which offers the opportunity to develop engaging and effective training. Hearing conservationists may strengthen the educational impact on workers by incorporating adult learning principles and considering a public health approach to shape workers’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. This webinar will address the science and art of enhancing hearing conservation training and education with the goal of motivating noise-exposed workers toward better hearing health care. It will include some theory, practical “ears-on” interactive techniques, and highlight the benefits of hearing protector fit testing to help boost training effectiveness. 

Presenter: Lauraine (“Laurie”) Wells, Au.D. 

Presenter disclosure: Lauraine ("Lauire") Wells, Au.D has no relevant financial information to disclose. Ms. Wells discloses her relevant non-financial relationship as former chair on the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC) Council. 

Learning Objectives: 

  • Describe at least one interactive tool which may be included in occupational hearing conservation program training 
  • Identify a technology that can be used to help satisfy regulatory training requirements 

CEUs available:  1-hour CEU (AAA and 0.1 ASHA CEU)

No credits of any kind will be offered for viewing the recorded version of this webinar. 

 

 Pricing: 

NHCA and CAOHC members: $38

Non-members: $50 


Topic: Professional Supervisor Panel Discussion

When: January 20, 2022 at 2:00 pm ET 

About the Webinar: The Professional Supervisor is a key, necessary, and often misunderstood member of the hearing conservation team.  This presentation brings experienced Professional Supervisors from across the United States together to discuss the roles, responsibilities, scope of practice, and practice requirements across a variety of hearing conservation programs.  The discussion will include practice as a private professional services provider, on-site In-house provider, remote service provider, and a provider covering hearing conservation programs across a variety of regulatory agencies.  

Presenters: 

LTC J. Andrew Merkley, AuD CCC-A CPS/A
Disclosure: John (Andy) Merkley has no relevant financial information to disclose. LTC Merkley discloses his relevant non-financial relationship as a representative of the Military Audiology Association on the CAOHC Council. For teaching CAOHC courses, when representing the Military, LTC Merkley cannot accept an honorarium for his participation as an instructor. When teaching on his own time, he receives an honorarium for his participation as an instructor.

Theresa H. Small, AuD CPS/A
Disclosure: Theresa H. Small, Au.D., CPS/Ahas no relevant financial information to disclose. Dr. Small discloses her relevant non-financial relationship as a representative of AAA on the CAOHC Council. When teaching for CAOHC, she receives an honorarium for her participation as an instructor.

Program Level:
 Intermediate

Learning Objectives: 

  • Explain the difference between the Hearing Conservation Program Manager and the Professional Supervisor.
  • Describe the relationship between the professional supervisor and audiometric technician.
  • Define the responsibilities of the Professional Supervisor with regard to federal, state, local, and company-specific regulations.  

CEUs: 1 hour CEU (AAA and ASHA)

No CEUs offered for home study.

 

 

Pricing: 

NHCA and CAOHC members: $38

Non-members: $50

 

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2021 Webinars:

Topic: Hearing Protection Devices 101 - Fit Testing 

When: December 9, 2021 at 2:15 pm ET 

About the Webinar: This webinar will introduce the concept of HPD Fit-Testing, its application to current hearing conservation programs, the various commercially available HPD Fit-Test methodologies. Finally, a number of lessons learned regarding HPD fit-testing from the Regional Hearing Conservation Program of Record at the Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory (NSMRL) will be discussed. The intended audience are hearing conservation professionals (e.g., technicians, audiologists, occupational health service providers) who are interested in expanding their field of practice to include HPD fit-testing. 

Presenter: 
Stephanie J. Karch, 
Au.D., Ph.D., CCC-A 
Disclosure: No financial or nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

Program Level: Entry-level 

Learning Objectives: 

  • Identify the differences in HPD fit-test methods. 
  • Identify how a Personal Attenuation Rating can be used to determine an appropriate and adequate HPD for the work environment. 
  • Recognize the different applications for HPD fit-testing in a Hearing Conservation Program. 

CEUs: 
No CEUs for live or homestudy

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TopicHearing Protector Fit Testing

When: April 8, 2021 at 2 pm EST

About the Webinar: For over 30 years, hearing conservation professionals have known that the Noise Reduction Rating is not necessarily representative of the protection afforded to the average user of hearing protection. This workshop will present an overview of the technologies available to the hearing conservation professional. During the first part of the session, attendees will learn about different methods to implement fit-testing, benefits of conducting fit testing, and the different methods used by various commercially available fit-testing systems. Information related to the recently approved ANSI/ASA S12.71-2018 performance criteria for standard for hearing protector fit-test systems will be shared.

Presenters: 

William Murphy, B.S., M.S., M.Eng., Ph.D.(BIO)
Disclosure: No financial or nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

Wei Gong, CSP, CIH (BIO)
Disclosure: No financial or nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

Program Level: Introductory

Learning Objectives:

  • Attendees will learn how to incorporate hearing protector fit testing in their practices.
  • Attendees will learn about the range of hearing protector fit testing systems available.
  • Attendees will learn about the Personal Attenuation Ratings and how to apply them to estimate noise exposures. Attendees will learn about hearing protector fit-testing resources and case studies.

CEUs:
No CEUs for live or homestudy

 Register Now

TopicAge Adjustment in Occupational Hearing Conservation Programs

When: May 13, 2021 at 2 pm EST 

About the Webinar: The NIOSH tables used by OSHA to adjust occupational audiograms for the effects of age were developed using cross-sectional trends observed across a small dataset (380 men and 206 women). The data for those tables were collected over 50 years ago and therefore do not account for: (1) reductions in hearing loss prevalence; (2) worker ages beyond 60; (3) race/ethnicity differences; and (4) errors in the application of cross-sectional trends to longitudinal changes of individual workers. In this presentation, we describe nationally-representative cross-sectional trends from NHANES (ages 12 to 85+; N=9937) that closely match longitudinal changes in a large group of noise-exposed workers. These results suggest that the age adjustments ("corrections") in the OSHA Hearing Conservation Amendment over-adjust for current age effects, which would reduce the sensitivity of age-adjusted thresholds to noise induced hearing loss.

Presenters: 
Greg Flamme, Ph.D.
Disclosure: No financial or nonfinancial relationships to disclose.
Kristy Deiters, AuD
Disclosure: No financial or nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

Program Level: Introductory

Learning Objectives:

  • Describe the origin of the NIOSH age tables used by OSHA.
  • Identify the differences in cross-sectional hearing loss trends over time.
  • Explain how cross-sectional trends are conceptually different from longitudinal change.
CEUs:
1 hour CEU (AAA and ASHA)
No CEUs offered for home study.
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TopicImpulsive Noise: Understanding, Measuring, and Assessing

When: June 17, 2021
2 pm EST 

About the Webinar: Exposures to high-level impulsive noises such as collisions of objects, firearms, or explosions significantly increase the risk for developing noise induced hearing loss. Although Impulse and impact noise are generated through different processes, they are often grouped into impulsive noise. When measuring impulsive noise, sound level meters may not be the best choice due to technological limitations. The selection and use of microphone, preamplifier, and processing systems are critical to capturing high-quality data. In many cases, recordings are more beneficial than capturing a peak level or a single integrated level to understand the exposure and to mitigate the risk. Understanding technological limitations and learning about specific techniques for capturing and measuring impulse noise can result in accurate and repeatable data.

Presenters: 
Donald Finan, Ph.D.
Disclosure: No financial or nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

Greg Flamme, Ph.D.
Disclosure: No financial or nonfinancial relationships to disclose.
William Murphy, B.S., M.S., M.Eng., Ph.D.(BIO)
Disclosure: No financial or nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

Program Level: Introductory

Learning Objectives:

  • Define impulse and impact noise and differentiate between them.
  • Describe the components of a typical sound level meter in terms of functionality and limitations in relationship to impulse and impact noise.
  • Apply technical specifications necessary for accurate measurement of impulse & impact noise.
CEUs:
1 hour CEU (AAA and ASHA)
No CEUs offered for home study.
 

TopicA Hybrid Approach to Audiometric Technician Training: A Fusion of Traditional and Virtual Learning

About the Webinar: Alternative delivery models for teaching Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC) hearing technician certification courses have become a reality.  To date, only a few Course Directors (CDs) have ventured into this uncharted territory.  This presentation offers a suggested roadmap for developing and delivering virtual courses and reviews the benefits and challenges of a hybrid model, including lessons learned.  While of benefit to anyone considering virtual synchronous learning, the intended audience are current CDs of any experience level and those who may be considering becoming a CD.

When: Available on demand for Homestudy

Presenters: 

Kirsten McCall, AuD (BIO)
Disclosure: No financial or nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

Vickie Tuten, AuD (BIO)
Disclosure: No financial or nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

Program Level: Introductory

Topics covered:

• Key differences between the traditional face-to-face model and a hybrid virtual and practicum classroom model;

• Platform delivery vehicles used;

• Changes made to training to accommodate the virtual platform;

• Incorporation of recertification students into the virtual training;

• Adaptations made for the practicum portion of the course

• Experiences with this new delivery model, challenges and lessons learned.


Learning Objectives:

  • Contrast the key differences between the traditional face-to-face model and a hybrid virtual and practicum classroom model. 
  • Discuss the challenges in delivering instruction in a hybrid virtual and practicum classroom delivery model. 
  • Identify available resources for both virtual instruction and hands-on practicum.

CEUs:
None for home study

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Topic: Hearing Health Education through STS (Short Training Segments): Microlearning Theory in Hearing Conservation

When: Available on demand for Homestudy

About the Webinar: Learners today expect to get information quickly and in a format that is easy to access, easy to understand, available at a time and place of the learner's choice, and relevant to what the learner needs to know at the moment. This presentation will introduce you to microlearning and how to use it to meet learners' needs and expectations while effectively using it for hearing conservation training in the workplace.

Presenter: John A. Merkley, AuD (bio)

DisclosureNo financial or non-financial relationships to disclose.

Program Level: Introductory

Topics covered:

  • What is microlearning or just-in-time training theory
  • How do you effectively apply microlearning in the workplace
  • How can you enhance your current hearing conservation training program with microlearning 

Learning Objectives:

  • List three best practice tips for microlearning
  • Describe microlearning theory.
  • Identify three topics of required hearing conservation training that can be effective microlearning subjects.
CEUs:
None for home study
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 Topic: Audiology, Hearing Loss Prevention and Music: Treatment Considerations

When: Available on demand for Homestudy

About the Webinar: As musicians are increasingly in search of hearing loss prevention information and strategies, this presentation will provide a brief overview of the recent American Academy of Audiology consensus guidelines on treatment for music-induced hearing disorders.  There will be a focus on earplugs for musicians as well as the safe use of in-ear monitors.

Presenter: Michael Santucci, AuD (BIO)

Disclosure:
There are non-financial conflicts of interest.
Financial disclosures: Ownership Interest in Sensaphonics, Inc.

Program Level: Introductory

Topics Covered:

The presentation will briefly compare and contrast traditional onstage monitors with today’s in-ear-monitoring systems.  The role of the audiologist in selecting the most appropriate passive filter for earplugs and selecting the appropriate in-ear monitor earpiece while guiding the musician to safe use will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

As a result of this Continuing Education Activity, readers will be able to:

  • Compare and differentiate on-stage in-ear monitoring from traditional floor monitoring
  • Help musicians select an appropriate in-ear monitoring earpiece
  • Help guide patients to the safe use of the in-ear monitoring  

CEUs:
None for home study

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