Product Manual

14 Operation Welch Allyn AM282 Audiometer
• Tests should be performed in a quiet area.
Test environment
Excessive noise in the test environment can reduce test validity by masking test tones.
The test site should be away from conversation, printers, hallway traffic, outside auto
traffic, and other noise producing environments. An acoustically tested room may be
required if room noise at the subject’s ears reaches objectionable levels. Audiocups are
available from Welch Allyn as an optional accessory for use with the external headset
headphones. Insert earphones are another option in noisy test environments. They
provide greater than 30 dB reduction of external noises. If the test subject is in the same
room as the audiometer, it is recommended that the subject be seated about 1 meter
(approximately 3 feet) away from the instrument.
Maximum permissible test environment sound-pressure levels are specified by American
National Standard Criteria for Permissible Background Noise during Audiometric Testing,
S3.1-1977 (revised). The table below shows the maximum background levels that can be
present inside the room while a valid hearing test is being conducted. For more
comprehensive information about hearing testing and hearing conservation, refer to the
Bibliography.
*Ears covered with earphone mounted in MX-41/AR cushion.
Providing patient instructions
Put the subject as much at ease as possible before the test begins. In addition, help the
subject understand how the test is to be conducted and what the subject will hear.
Uniform and unvarying instructions should be given to each subject in order to achieve
consistent and reliable test results. The following is an example of standard instructions:
“I am going to place these earphones over your ears. You will hear tones or
beeping sounds which may be loud or soft. Whenever you hear, or think you hear
one of these tones, raise your hand. Lower your hand when you no longer hear
the sound. Remember, raise your hand when you hear the tone and lower your
hand when you do not.”
Modify the instructions accordingly if the optional response handswitch is to be used.
Placing the earphones
Proper placement of the earphones on the ears is essential to achieve reliable test results.
WARNING Any program aimed at obtaining reliable records of hearing
thresholds should be staffed and supervised by appropriately-trained individuals.
Training courses leading to certification are available for audiometric technicians in
most urban areas.
Test Tone Frequency (Hz) 125 250 500 750 1000 1500 2000 3000 4000 6000 8000
*Test Room- Maximum dB SPL 34.523.021.522.529.529.034.539.042.041.045.0