WAC 296-27-061
Nonmandatory Appendix A -- Age adjustment
calculations for comparing audiograms for recording hearing
loss. IMPORTANT: These computations may only be used for
comparison of audiograms to record hearing loss on the OSHA
300 Log. This appendix is nonmandatory.
In determining whether a recordable threshold shift has
occurred, allowance may be made for the contribution of aging
to the change in hearing level by adjusting the most recent
audiogram. If you choose to adjust the audiogram, you must
follow the procedure described below. This procedure and the
age correction tables were developed by the National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health in the criteria document
entitled "Criteria for a Recommended Standard...Occupational
Exposure to Noise," ((HSM)-11001).
For each audiometric test frequency:
(i) Determine from Tables A-1 or A-2 the age correction
values for the employee by:
(A) Finding the age at which the most recent audiogram
was taken and recording the corresponding values of age
corrections at 1000 Hz through 6000 Hz;
(B) Finding the age at which the baseline audiogram was
taken and recording the corresponding values of age
corrections at 1000 Hz through 6000 Hz.
(ii) Subtract the values found in step (i)(B) from the
value found in step (i)(A).
(iii) The differences calculated in step (ii) represent
that portion of the change in hearing that may be due to
aging.
EXAMPLE: Employee is a 32-year-old male. The audiometric
history for his right ear is shown in decibels below.
| Audiometric Test Frequency (Hz) |
| Employee's
age |
1000 |
2000 |
3000 |
4000 |
6000 |
| 26 |
10 |
5 |
5 |
10 |
5 |
| *27 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
5 |
| 28 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
5 |
| 29 |
5 |
0 |
5 |
15 |
5 |
| 30 |
0 |
5 |
10 |
20 |
10 |
| 31 |
5 |
10 |
20 |
15 |
15 |
| *32 |
5 |
10 |
10 |
25 |
20 |
The audiogram at age 27 is considered the baseline since
it shows the best hearing threshold levels. Asterisks have
been used to identify the baseline and most recent audiogram.
A threshold shift of 20 dB exists at 4000 Hz between the
audiograms taken at ages 27 and 32.
(The threshold shift is computed by subtracting the
hearing threshold at age 27, which was 5, from the hearing
threshold at age 32, which is 25.) A retest audiogram has
confirmed this shift. The contribution of aging to this
change in hearing may be estimated in the following manner:
Go to Table A-1 and find the age correction values (in
dB) for 4000 Hz at age 27 and age 32.
|
Frequency (Hz) |
| |
1000 |
2000 |
3000 |
4000 |
6000 |
| Age 32 |
6 |
5 |
7 |
10 |
14 |
| Age 27 |
5 |
4 |
6 |
7 |
11 |
| Difference |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
The difference represents the amount of hearing loss that
may be attributed to aging in the time period between the
baseline audiogram and the most recent audiogram. In this
example, the difference at 4000 Hz is 3 dB. This value is
subtracted from the hearing level at 4000 Hz, which in the
most recent audiogram is 25, yielding 22 after adjustment.
Then the hearing threshold in the baseline audiogram at 4000
Hz (5) is subtracted from the adjusted annual audiogram
hearing threshold at 4000 Hz (22). Thus the age-corrected
threshold shift would be 17 dB (as opposed to a threshold
shift of 20 dB without age correction).
TABLE A-1 - AGE CORRECTION VALUES IN DECIBELS
FOR MALES
| Audiometric Test Frequency (Hz) |
| Age |
1000 |
2000 |
3000 |
4000 |
6000 |
| 20 or
younger |
5 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
8 |
| 21 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
8 |
| 22 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
8 |
| 23 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
6 |
9 |
| 24 |
5 |
3 |
5 |
6 |
9 |
| 25 |
5 |
3 |
5 |
7 |
10 |
| 26 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
7 |
10 |
| 27 |
5 |
4 |
6 |
7 |
11 |
| 28 |
6 |
4 |
6 |
8 |
11 |
| 29 |
6 |
4 |
6 |
8 |
12 |
| 30 |
6 |
4 |
6 |
9 |
12 |
| 31 |
6 |
4 |
7 |
9 |
13 |
| 32 |
6 |
5 |
7 |
10 |
14 |
| 33 |
6 |
5 |
7 |
10 |
14 |
| 34 |
6 |
5 |
8 |
11 |
15 |
| 35 |
7 |
5 |
8 |
11 |
15 |
| 36 |
7 |
5 |
9 |
12 |
16 |
| 37 |
7 |
6 |
9 |
12 |
17 |
| 38 |
7 |
6 |
9 |
13 |
17 |
| 39 |
7 |
6 |
10 |
14 |
18 |
| 40 |
7 |
6 |
10 |
14 |
19 |
| 41 |
7 |
6 |
10 |
14 |
20 |
| 42 |
8 |
7 |
11 |
16 |
20 |
| 43 |
8 |
7 |
12 |
16 |
21 |
| 44 |
8 |
7 |
12 |
17 |
22 |
| 45 |
8 |
7 |
13 |
18 |
23 |
| 46 |
8 |
8 |
13 |
19 |
24 |
| 47 |
8 |
8 |
14 |
19 |
24 |
| 48 |
9 |
8 |
14 |
20 |
25 |
| 49 |
9 |
9 |
15 |
21 |
26 |
| 50 |
9 |
9 |
16 |
22 |
27 |
| 51 |
9 |
9 |
16 |
23 |
28 |
| 52 |
9 |
10 |
17 |
24 |
29 |
| 53 |
9 |
10 |
18 |
25 |
30 |
| 54 |
10 |
10 |
18 |
26 |
31 |
| 55 |
10 |
11 |
19 |
27 |
32 |
| 56 |
10 |
11 |
20 |
28 |
34 |
| 57 |
10 |
11 |
21 |
29 |
35 |
| 58 |
10 |
12 |
22 |
31 |
36 |
| 59 |
11 |
12 |
22 |
32 |
37 |
| 60 or
older |
11 |
13 |
23 |
33 |
38 |
TABLE F-2 - AGE CORRECTION VALUES IN DECIBELS
FOR FEMALES
| Audiometric Test Frequency (Hz) |
| Age |
1000 |
2000 |
3000 |
4000 |
6000 |
| 20 or
younger |
7 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
| 21 |
7 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
6 |
| 22 |
7 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
6 |
| 23 |
7 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
7 |
| 24 |
7 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
7 |
| 25 |
8 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
7 |
| 26 |
8 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
8 |
| 27 |
8 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
8 |
| 28 |
8 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
8 |
| 29 |
8 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
9 |
| 30 |
8 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
9 |
| 31 |
8 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
9 |
| 32 |
9 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
10 |
| 33 |
9 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
10 |
| 34 |
9 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
10 |
| 35 |
9 |
6 |
7 |
7 |
11 |
| 36 |
9 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
11 |
| 37 |
9 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
12 |
| 38 |
10 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
12 |
| 39 |
10 |
7 |
8 |
8 |
12 |
| 40 |
10 |
7 |
8 |
8 |
13 |
| 41 |
10 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
13 |
| 42 |
10 |
8 |
9 |
9 |
13 |
| 43 |
11 |
8 |
9 |
9 |
14 |
| 44 |
11 |
8 |
9 |
9 |
14 |
| 45 |
11 |
8 |
10 |
10 |
15 |
| 46 |
11 |
9 |
10 |
10 |
15 |
| 47 |
11 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
16 |
| 48 |
12 |
9 |
11 |
11 |
16 |
| 49 |
12 |
9 |
11 |
11 |
16 |
| 50 |
12 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
17 |
| 51 |
12 |
10 |
12 |
12 |
17 |
| 52 |
12 |
10 |
12 |
13 |
18 |
| 53 |
13 |
10 |
13 |
13 |
18 |
| 54 |
13 |
11 |
13 |
14 |
19 |
| 55 |
13 |
11 |
14 |
14 |
19 |
| 56 |
13 |
11 |
14 |
15 |
20 |
| 57 |
13 |
11 |
15 |
15 |
20 |
| 58 |
14 |
12 |
15 |
16 |
21 |
| 59 |
14 |
12 |
16 |
16 |
21 |
| 60 or
older |
14 |
12 |
16 |
17 |
22 |
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050,
and 49.17.060. 03-24-085, § 296-27-061, filed 12/2/03,
effective 1/1/04.]