Abstract
The hearing conservation program (HCP) of a large industrial company was evaluated by comparing the audiometric data of two groups of workers from three geographically separate plants. Group 1 was selected from individuals employed in areas where the time‐weighted average (TWA) sound level exceeded 90 dBA and group 2 from individuals with TWAs of less than 85 dBA. Differences between mean STS values for groups and plants were the main criteria used in making judgments on the HCP effectiveness. In addition, age, sex, years of service, and nonoccupational noise exposure were evaluated. A significant difference in mean STS was found between the two groups; however, the “nonoccupationally exposed” group had more STS than expected. The male‐female distribution, previous hearing loss, and nonoccupational exposure were judged to be contributing factors in the differences that existed between plants and groups. [Work supported by Grant OH 02128 from NIOSH.]
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