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Deadline to notify workers of a hearing threshold shift

Summary A requester asked when the hearing-conservation rule's 21-day notice clock began after an audiogram showed a standard threshold shift. OSHA said the clock started when the shift was determined, not when the test was taken. It specified 21 calendar days for notifying the employee.
Document
Federal opinion letter
Agency
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Document number
1986-06-25
Date issued
June 25, 1986
Status
Active
Status last verified October 10, 2026
Topics
Workplace Safety OSHA 1910 Hearing Conservation
Source
View the official document

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About this page: The full text below is the official document from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Ezel adds the plain-English summary and tracks the document's status. The official source linked on this page is authoritative for any reliance.

June 25, 1986

Mr. Darrell K. Mattheis
[Recipient address omitted]
Dear Mr. Mattheis:

This is in response to your letter of October 7, asking for clarification of the time period given in the Hearing Conservation Amendment for notifying employees of a standard threshold shift (STS) in their hearing ability. Please accept my apology for the delay in response.

Employees must be notified of their STS within 21 calendar days from the date that the determination is made that their audiometric test showed the STS.

If we may be of future assistance, please feel free to contact us again.

Sincerely,

John B. Miles, Jr.,
Director
Directorate of Field Operations

[Requester letter reproduced on OSHA page; omitted here.]

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