CAOHC - Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation Noise Measurement and Control Questions and Answers

Question 1

An occupational hearing conservationist is tasked with measuring the noise exposure of a maintenance worker who moves between various high-noise areas throughout an 8-hour shift.
Which instrument is MOST appropriate for accurately determining this worker's full-shift Time-Weighted Average (TWA) exposure?

Accepted Answer

A noise dosimeter

Answer

A Type 1 precision sound level meter

Answer

An octave band analyzer

Answer

A sound level calibrator

Question 2

According to the OSHA Noise Standard (29 CFR 1910.95), when an employee's noise exposure equals or exceeds an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 85 dBA, the employer is required to:

Accepted Answer

implement a hearing conservation program.

Answer

implement feasible engineering or administrative controls to reduce exposure.

Answer

mandate the use of hearing protection for all employees in the area.

Answer

perform audiometric testing only for employees who report hearing difficulties.

Question 3

Which of the following represents the most effective type of noise control according to the established hierarchy of controls?

Accepted Answer

Replacing a noisy piece of equipment with a quieter model.

Answer

Requiring employees to wear properly fitted earplugs.

Answer

Rotating workers out of a high-noise area after 4 hours.

Answer

Installing acoustic enclosures around loud machinery.

Question 4

A sound level meter's A-weighting network is designed to be most useful for hearing conservation purposes because it:

Accepted Answer

approximates the frequency response of the human ear to moderate sound levels.

Answer

measures peak impulse noises accurately.

Answer

provides a flat response across all audible frequencies.

Answer

filters out all frequencies below 1000 Hz.

Question 5

A manufacturing facility has a work area with a consistent noise level of 95 dBA. According to the OSHA standard, which uses a 5-dB exchange rate, what is the maximum permissible exposure time for a worker in this area during a single day?

Accepted Answer

4 hours

Answer

8 hours

Answer

2 hours

Answer

1 hour

Question 6

Which of the following actions is an example of an administrative control for reducing noise exposure?

Accepted Answer

Changing work schedules to limit the amount of time any single employee spends in a high-noise environment.

Answer

Building a sound-proof barrier between a noisy machine and the operator's workstation.

Answer

Providing employees with a selection of high-NRR hearing protectors.

Answer

Implementing a 'Buy Quiet' policy for all new equipment purchases.