CAOHC Role of the Occupational Hearing Conservationist 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which organization accredits OHC training courses and oversees the certification of Occupational Hearing Conservationists in the US?
- OSHA
- NIOSH
- CAOHC (Correct answer)
- ASHA
Correct answer: CAOHC
CAOHC (Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation) accredits OHC training programs and administers the certification process.
Question 2: How many questions are on the standard CAOHC OHC certification examination?
- 50 questions
- 100 questions (Correct answer)
- 150 questions
- 200 questions
Correct answer: 100 questions
The CAOHC certification exam consists of 100 questions spanning all core competency areas required for OHC practice.
Question 3: Which activity is OUTSIDE the scope of an OHC's practice?
- Administering pure tone audiometric tests
- Fitting and checking hearing protection devices
- Interpreting audiograms to provide a medical diagnosis (Correct answer)
- Performing daily biological calibration checks
Correct answer: Interpreting audiograms to provide a medical diagnosis
Medical interpretation and diagnosis from audiometric results is beyond OHC scope and must be performed by a licensed audiologist or physician.
Question 4: What type of audiometric test is an OHC primarily trained and authorized to perform?
- Bone conduction audiometry
- Pure tone air conduction audiometry (Correct answer)
- Speech recognition testing
- Otoacoustic emissions testing
Correct answer: Pure tone air conduction audiometry
OHCs are specifically trained in pure tone air conduction audiometry, which is the standard method used in occupational hearing conservation.
Question 5: Before a baseline audiogram, the worker must observe a quiet period of at least how many hours to ensure valid results?
- 6 hours
- 8 hours
- 14 hours (Correct answer)
- 24 hours
Correct answer: 14 hours
OSHA requires at least 14 hours away from noise exceeding 80 dBA before baseline audiometric testing to prevent temporary threshold shifts.
Question 6: What is the correct daily procedure an OHC should perform to verify audiometer calibration before testing workers?
- Use a precision sound level meter to measure output
- Conduct a biological check with a person of known stable hearing thresholds (Correct answer)
- Submit the audiometer to an approved lab for electroacoustic analysis
- Measure output with a dosimeter
Correct answer: Conduct a biological check with a person of known stable hearing thresholds
A daily biological calibration check using a listener with a known stable audiogram verifies that the audiometer is producing reliable results.
CAOHC Role of the Occupational Hearing Conservationist 2
Which organization accredits OHC training courses and oversees the certification of Occupational Hearing Conservationists in the US?