Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00426:reg:0:p17
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00426
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 0 (pt 17/20)
Character Range: 67929–70993

of an acoustic shock resulting from an acoustic incident.

Acoustic shock symptoms
The effect on individuals can vary greatly for the same increase in sound level. Only a small number of people develop symptoms from an acoustic incident. Why a person experiences symptoms after an acoustic incident is not known with certainty and is still being researched.
Some researchers believe that a combination of stress and sudden loud noise causes excessive contraction of the middle ear muscles, triggering the acoustic shock symptoms.
Audiologists have grouped symptoms into three categories:

    * Primary (immediate) symptoms, which include but are not limited to:
          + a feeling of fullness in the ear
          + burning sensations or sharp pain around or in the ear
          + numbness, tingling or soreness down the side of face, neck or shoulder
          + nausea or vomiting
          + dizziness
          + tinnitus and other head noises such as eardrum fluttering.
    * Secondary symptoms, which include but are not limited to:
          + headaches
          + fatigue
          + a feeling of being off-balance
          + anxiety
    * Tertiary symptoms, which include but are not limited to:
          + hypersensitivity (sensitivity to previously tolerated sounds such as loud voices, television and radio)
          + hyper vigilance i.e. being overly alert.
People experiencing such symptoms will respond in different ways. As with other workplace injuries and ill health, some may experience further effects, including anger, anxiety, social isolation and other psychological problems.
Few people suffer hearing loss from acoustic shock. To assist in the diagnosis where this may occur, consideration should be given to baseline audiometric testing of all operators' hearing by
a specialist when they commence work to establish their baseline hearing ability.

Control measures
Control measures to eliminate or minimise the risk of acoustic shock include:

    * providing high quality headsets with acoustic shock protection devices
    * giving prompt attention to damaged equipment and network faults – the equipment or network supplier or an acoustic specialist should be contacted if necessary
    * ensuring the proper fitting, use and maintenance of headsets
    * reducing background noise in the room
    * providing information and training on how to detect warning sounds for example, cordless phones being used too close to the base station at the customer end. Training on warning sounds should also prepare operators to know when to remove headsets as quickly as possible, where necessary
    * with hotdesking work, ensuring workers turn the headset volume down as soon as possible after a changeover
    * considering work organisation issues, such as unreasonable or unrealistic performance pressures or demands, which may cause tension and distress
    * preventing mobile phones from being used in call centres.

Control of background noise in call centres
Possible control measures to implement include:
    * reviewing