Additional abbreviations should be avoided unless their meanings are clearly stated on the form in which they appear. Finally, original copies should always be available in an archive. While management may provide the record keeping system and the necessary resources, the program implementors must ensure that the system works. The most important attributes of an effective record keeping system are standardization, maintenance, integration, and documentation. Standardization ensures commonality and consistency of data and format.
Maintenance keeps records current and accurate.
Integration of the recorded information allows the program implementor to assess the impact of the program on employees' hearing. More practically, records should be kept for the length of employment plus 30 years, just as is standard practice with medical records. Employee Responsibilities Employee hearing loss prevention records should be available and accessible, especially at the time of regularly scheduled hearing tests. This is the ideal time for employees to check on the status of their hearing, and to pass along their comments on the hearing loss prevention program. Workers have a vested interest in the accuracy, validity, and accessibility of their hearing loss prevention and other medical records.