Hearing Test Dilemma - Need Help ASAP

LindaS

Our company does annual hearing tests for our production employees. We currently have one employee who has extreme claustrophobia and has been excused from the test - this was something that has been done since before I came to the company.

Yesterday I had another employee come to me and asked to be excused as she becomes very "anxious" and her "blood pressure rises" when she is in the room taking the test. This EE has been with the company for many years and has taken this test every year, without any issues. She is now asking to be excused from the test.

I am not sure how to proceed. While I want to be understanding I do not want more employees coming to me asking to be excused without some type of health care provider statement regarding a valid medical reason for their not being able to take the test. Am I being too strict on this? Should I simply take the EEs statement and excuse her? This is the first time I have dealt with this so I'm unsure how to proceed.

Balloonman1

Call your provider of testing ask if they have a site in their building that is less boothlike and quiet enough for them to conduct a successful test. If it is tucked away in a quiet part of the building then maybe they can do the test with the door open.

If they can do this then in memo form to the employee give them this option, give them a deadline for them to make the arrangements and go over on their time or suffer the consequences. A hard deadline, not test by this date or you will not be allowed to work until the test is complete.

You are working with them, but placing the responsibility on them. Make it clear to them if they wait till two days before the deadline to call in and make an appointment and they come to you saying I can't get in, you will suspend them.

It is a federally madated law you are complying with, tell them you have no option.

My $0.02 worth,
The Balloonman

LindaS

The provider actually comes with a large van that they do the testing in. There are booths they use so there isn't anywhere else they can do the test.

The tests are today and this EE came to me yesterday asking to be excused so I have very little time to make a decision.

Crout

Then just say no and tell her she must take the test. And what would a doctors note have to do with it? $25 to most docs will buy you a note excusing you from just about anything for just about any excuse.

safety

Does your company Dr have the ability to administer the hearing exam? If so maybe this ee needs a slight sedation to help calm the anxiety of the testing booth. If your noise survey shows the need to administer the tests it is not an option for this ee.

pork1

BALLOONMAN: Before jumping to a mandated law that requires testing one should know that you have a hearing protection work area in which "hearing protection is required" thus a base line of the ee's hearing is required to determine when an employee has a hearing loss due to the working environment.

When I came to my present position 6 years ago, I was told that hearing protection was required when working with the live animals. To make sure this was the case I had the work site surveyied and the rumor was proven wrong. We had no work site with sufficient to require hearing protection. We do not test at all and we are not mandated to test, but we are mandated to provide a safe working condition in which our ees work. Steel Toe boots and hard hats for the same reason were cut out and we have saved a lot of money that we were previously waisting. We have had 0 (zero) work related injuries and have save money at the same time. Our state OSHA representatives actually came up to our location and conducted the site testing. I still have the results on site for review by anyone interested.

PORK

E Wart

Let them know that this is for their own good and that it is required by the government and you don't have a choice.
I am sorry, but I don't see what the big deal is. It only takes a few minutes and not like an MRI or something. It doesn't hurt.
May be talk with the company you use to provide the test and see if they have a suggestion.
You can always send the employee somewhere else than the one that comes out to you (ie. nearest clinic or hopsital that does OSHA testing.)but why do this.
I would also send the one that originally asked to be excused.


E Wart

Whatever

Talk to the company doing the testing. They've probably dealt with this problem before.

Whirlwind

I'm taking a different tact due to the fact that you (or actually your predecessor) have already excused someone for a psychological condition. Do you know whether that person presented medical documentation? Do you know whether it was deemed an ADA reasonable accommodation to excuse him/her from the test? While not highly likely, it's possible that the current person could present something comparable, and would cry foul if not given the same opportunity to do so. It's unfortunate that time is of the essence, but I would put off the test until the person is given the opportunity to prove whether she needs an accommodation, even if that means the inconvenience or expense of taking the test at another time or by other means.

Wildsporty

This is what I would do.

I would make up a form that says:

I ___________ask to be excused from the annual hearing test. I understand that this is a manditory test and must be administered. I will pay the cost of having the hearing test done at a private facility and present to the company a statement from the private facility providing the results of the test. I am also aware that the time I take off to take the test is unpaid time. If I fail to take a test and turn the results in to the company I can be terminated for cause.

____________________________
Employee signature Date


I guarantee that the employee will take the test. The other employee may opt to take this option.

I would keep the statement which is given to you by the employee taking the test at a private facility on file with this signed statement wherever you keep the other hearing test results.

This gets you off the hook for giving the test and it gives the employee an option.

They take it free at the company or they pay for it out of their pocket at another facility and take time off work at their expense to do so.

Shirley

Wildsporty

Sorry I thought I might want to add something. When you are hiring new employees this is something which you could tell them right up front. You could also explain about the option to take a private test and pay for it.

I would also write a policy stating such.

Shirley

LindaS

Thanks to all for your responses. The hearing tests were yesterday and the EE DID take the test. I told her that this was an OSHA requirement and, in absence of medical certification of a condition, she was required to take the test. She has taken this test every year since at least 1999 so this is not something new for her.

She asked the trainer to put her closest to the door, which he did, and the test went as scheduled.

Thanks to all for your help.