Your CAOHC Certification

If I leave my current place of employment, does my CAOHC certification stay with me or become the property of my employer?
Response: Even if your employer paid for your course and/or your certification, this number is assigned to you, NOT to the employer NOR to your replacement. Only you can use your CAOHC number and signature on audiometric tests that you conducted. Other technicians, your supervisor, or your employer may NOT "share" your CAOHC certification number - either with or without your permission. If you have concerns, please contact the professional supervisor of your hearing conservation program (an audiologist, physician or otolaryngologist).

Whose responsibility is it to keep up with the expiration of a certification - my company or me?
Response: It is your responsibility to maintain your certification since the CAOHC number is yours not your employers. You will receive a 6-month notification card from CAOHC that it is time to recertify.

I failed to send in my application. Can I still become certified?
Response: If you attended a course prior to July 1, 2004, you may apply for retroactive certification provided it has not been more than 5 years since your initial 20-hour course and any subsequent recertification courses. Contact the CAOHC office for an application form. Fees are $50.00 per course.

Does CAOHC offer any extension on certification expiration?
Response: Effective July 1, 2004, certification extensions for OHCs will be granted 60 days beyond the current expiration date. All requests must be received at the CAOHC office 30 days prior to the expiration and are subject to the approval of the CAOHC Council. This exception is intended for OHCs having difficulty locating a course in a specific geographic area, for serious illness, or for a death or serious illness in the family.
Your may submit a request via e-mail at info@caohc.org or by faxing to the attention of Chris Whiting at 414/276-2146.

What determines my expiration date?
Response: Expiration date of certification will be five years from the date of the certification course. Whether renewing early or late, certification is valid for five years from the recertification course date.

How can I find my CAOHC certificate number and/or expiration date?
Response: When you complete an application and send it to the CAOHC office (some Course Directors will take care of this for you - ask your CD about this), you will receive a congratulatory letter, a certificate for framing, and a wallet ID card. Your CAOHC certification number and expiration date will be printed on the certificate and the ID card. If you have a concern about this, please contact the CAOHC office at info@caohc.org or 414/276-5338.

You'll also find your certificate number and expiration date above your name and address on your UPDATE newsletter.

Do I need to have a license as an audiometric technician in my state?
Response: The answer depends on your state. There are a number of various state government agencies that may claim jurisdiction over your actions as an Occupational Hearing Conservationist (OHC). For example, state Departments of Labor in Oregon and Washington require CAOHC certification for OHCs. The Department of Health in Texas requires registration of all audiometric technicians, including OHCs.

More commonly, state medical and/or audiology licensure boards may have special requirements for your professional supervisor in regard to "support personnel." That is, your state's audiology board may require that licensed audiologists register OHCs as an "audiology aide." Likewise, OHCs operating under the supervision of a physician are typically subject to a state's medical practice laws.

To find out more about your state's licensure requirements, contact your hearing conservation program manager or your supervising audiologist or physician.

Where can I find a job in this field and what can I expect in compensation?
Response: Because job opportunities and wages will vary greatly by region, please check local resources. CAOHC does not maintain a job bank.

OHC Courses

Is there a required exam for CAOHC courses?
Response: A written exam has always been required for the 20-hour course leading to certification. Since January 1, 2004, CAOHC has required that Course Directors (CDs) adhere to a standardized written exam. As of January 1, 2005, CDs will also be required to include a written exam in each 8-hour OHC recertification course and, in doing so, to adhere to similar standards pertaining to the exam's content and administration. Course curriculum

Instituting a written exam with a standardized format for the recertification course is intended to address the same four objectives as for the 20-hour certification course: (1) to evaluate the level of course knowledge gained by the OHC student, (2) to provide information for the CD to utilize in determining whether the OHC student has passed the written exam to the CD's satisfaction, (3) to provide an additional learning experience for the OHC student through the reinforcement of course content referenced in the written exam, and (4) to further standardize the OHC student's course experience to enhance the credibility and value of CAOHC certification.

How can I be assured that the course I'm attending is CAOHC approved?
Response: Please ask the course registrar if this course has been "CAOHC approved." A certificate of course approval has been issued by CAOHC to the Course Director and it should be displayed at your course. If you do not see this certificate, please ask your CAOHC Course Director.

How do I obtain Continuing Education Units (CEUs) by attending a CAOHC course?
Response: Individual Course Directors may choose to provide CEUs at their courses. Please contact your CAOHC Course Director for information on this.

Any questions regarding state licensing for RNs and the possible acceptance of these CEUs for that purpose should be directed to the licensing offices of your state.

FYI: Do not confuse the CAOHC certification process with the submission of CEUs. CAOHC does not award nor maintain your education hours. The course completion certificate provided by a course director is NOT your CAOHC certification.

How do I locate a CAOHC course in my area? How do I get registered for a course and what is the cost?
Response: CAOHC approved certification and recertification courses are listed on our website at http://www.caohc.org/cgi-bin/dbman/db.cgi and printed in the quarterly UPDATE newsletter. For the most current list of courses contact the CAOHC office at 414/276-5338.

Issues in Hearing Conservation

What's the difference between the Professional Supervisor (of the audiometric monitoring program) and the Supervisor of the Hearing Conservation Program - don't these two titles mean the same thing?

Response: No they do not. According to OSHA's Hearing Conservation Amendment, the Professional Supervisor of the audiometric testing component of a Hearing Conservation Program must be a licensed or certified audiologist, otolaryngologist, or other physician. This professional's responsibility is to ensure that audiograms for monitoring noise-exposed workers are being correctly performed and interpreted (see Scope of Practice: The Professional Supervisor of the Audiometric Monitoring Program). In this way, the Professional Supervisor may interact with the OHC in an advisory role.

In contrast, the supervisor of the hearing conservation program is typically a safety professional, human resources administrator, or other management level company personnel. This supervisor is responsible for the overall management and effectiveness of the hearing conservation program, and may also be the direct administrative supervisor of the OHC.