2025 NHCA Annual Conference

The Basics Workshop is designed to offer attendees a comprehensive perspective on the substance and conduct of an effective occupational hearing conservation program (HCP). This annual workshop, held on the conference’s first day, is a “short course” that will clarify and illustrate key hearing conservation requirements, practices, and resources that are used in HCPs (and will be cited in subsequent platform presentations in this conference). The speakers will define basic concepts and foundational knowledge used in HCPs, and then describe fundamental applications that are important and essential for hearing loss prevention. The format is designed for a broad audience – from first-time conference attendees (like students or new employees) to experienced hearing conservationists seeking clarification about hot-topic issues from disciplines outside their own specialty.

Learning Objectives:
1. Noise Measurement and Instrumentation: Recognize instrumentation and techniques used to measure noise, and identify significance of time-weighted averages, Action Level, and Permissible Exposure Level.
2. Audiometry and the Audiogram: Recognize instrumentation and protocols used for audiometric monitoring, and identify significance of Standard Threshold Shifts, age corrections, problem audiograms, and variables that affect validity of audiograms.
3. Hearing loss record-ability Issues: Recognize factors considered when determining recordable hearing losses and work-relatedness.
4. Hearing Protection issues and Options: Identify contemporary methods used to verify fit and attenuation of hearing protective devices, as well as criteria to select devices appropriate for a given noise exposure.

This one-day workshop will include presentations in the morning and hands-on demonstrations of fit testing equipment in the afternoon. The morning will begin with background on hearing protector fit testing, summary of recent updates to regulations and best practices, implementation, and case studies of fit testing in practice. The morning session will conclude with presentations from fit test system manufacturers. Manufacturer presentations will touch on how their system works, the types of hearing protection they can be used with, and the testing they’ve performed to validate their system.

In the afternoon, attendees will engage in hands-on demonstrations. Manufacturers will set up equipment at stations spaced throughout the room. Attendees will rotate to different stations and have opportunities to try out the equipment. By the end of the workshop, attendees will have gained an understanding of the best practices in hearing protection fit testing, and ideas on how hearing protector fit testing fits within hearing conservation programs.

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the different methods for hearing protector fit testing
2. Identify the aspects of test environments that are important to check before fit testing
3.Understand how the results of a fit test may be used within the context of hearing conservation (both in practice and in relation to existing regulations)

Music Audiology is a small speciality, however music people (performers, engineers, industry support professionals, avid concert goers) are a large population who seek hearing services from all practitioners. In this session, many of the most active and prolific speakers, clinicians, and researchers in the field will share important updates to best practice and technology/procedure updates pertinent to anyone interested in this population. Specific topics of focus will include recent progress in teleaudiology, best practices for safe use of in-ear monitors, verification and demystification of custom filtered hearing protection for performers, and updates on the many global initiatives for hearing loss prevention.

Learning Objectives:
1.Apply clinical best practices to the audiologic care of musicians and music industry professionals.
2.Identify tools and methods available to verify hearing protection devices and in-ear monitors.
3.Assess how teleaudiology impacts access to and provision of hearing healthcare to music industry professionals.

The Basics Workshop is designed to offer attendees a comprehensive perspective on the substance and conduct of an effective occupational hearing conservation program (HCP). This annual workshop, held on the conference’s first day, is a “short course” that will clarify and illustrate key hearing conservation requirements, practices, and resources that are used in HCPs (and will be cited in subsequent platform presentations in this conference). The speakers will define basic concepts and foundational knowledge used in HCPs, and then describe fundamental applications that are important and essential for hearing loss prevention. The format is designed for a broad audience – from first-time conference attendees (like students or new employees) to experienced hearing conservationists seeking clarification about hot-topic issues from disciplines outside their own specialty.

Learning Objectives:
1. Noise Measurement and Instrumentation: Recognize instrumentation and techniques used to measure noise, and identify significance of time-weighted averages, Action Level, and Permissible Exposure Level.
2. Audiometry and the Audiogram: Recognize instrumentation and protocols used for audiometric monitoring, and identify significance of Standard Threshold Shifts, age corrections, problem audiograms, and variables that affect validity of audiograms.
3. Hearing loss record-ability Issues: Recognize factors considered when determining recordable hearing losses and work-relatedness.
4. Hearing Protection issues and Options: Identify contemporary methods used to verify fit and attenuation of hearing protective devices, as well as criteria to select devices appropriate for a given noise exposure.

This one-day workshop will include presentations in the morning and hands-on demonstrations of fit testing equipment in the afternoon. The morning will begin with background on hearing protector fit testing, summary of recent updates to regulations and best practices, implementation, and case studies of fit testing in practice. The morning session will conclude with presentations from fit test system manufacturers. Manufacturer presentations will touch on how their system works, the types of hearing protection they can be used with, and the testing they’ve performed to validate their system.

In the afternoon, attendees will engage in hands-on demonstrations. Manufacturers will set up equipment at stations spaced throughout the room. Attendees will rotate to different stations and have opportunities to try out the equipment. By the end of the workshop, attendees will have gained an understanding of the best practices in hearing protection fit testing, and ideas on how hearing protector fit testing fits within hearing conservation programs.

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the different methods for hearing protector fit testing
2. Identify the aspects of test environments that are important to check before fit testing
3.Understand how the results of a fit test may be used within the context of hearing conservation (both in practice and in relation to existing regulations)

Music Audiology is a small speciality, however music people (performers, engineers, industry support professionals, avid concert goers) are a large population who seek hearing services from all practitioners. In this session, many of the most active and prolific speakers, clinicians, and researchers in the field will share important updates to best practice and technology/procedure updates pertinent to anyone interested in this population. Specific topics of focus will include recent progress in teleaudiology, best practices for safe use of in-ear monitors, verification and demystification of custom filtered hearing protection for performers, and updates on the many global initiatives for hearing loss prevention.

Learning Objectives:
1.Apply clinical best practices to the audiologic care of musicians and music industry professionals.
2.Identify tools and methods available to verify hearing protection devices and in-ear monitors.
3.Assess how teleaudiology impacts access to and provision of hearing healthcare to music industry professionals.