What Is Ear Fit Testing and How Is It Different From Audiometric Testing?
These two services are often confused, but they measure completely different things.
Audiometric testing
This assesses the worker. It checks whether hearing has already been affected by noise exposure and monitors any changes over time.
Ear fit testing
Assess the device. It verifies whether the HPD the worker is wearing is providing adequate noise attenuation for their specific ear anatomy, on that day, with the way they insert or wear it.
Audiometric testing tells you if hearing damage has occurred. Ear fit testing helps prevent it from occurring in the first place.
Both matter in a noise management programme, but they answer different questions. Rely on audiometric results alone and you’re measuring the outcome after exposure, not confirming protection before it.