Accident Insurance (Occupational Hearing Assessment Procedures) Regulations 1999

2 Interpretation

• In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires,—

  “A” weighting means the “A” frequency weighting specified in the International Standard IEC 651—1979

  Act means the Accident Insurance Act 1998

  audiometer means an audiometer that complies with the requirements of ISO 6189 and has been calibrated in accordance with ISO 6189 at a laboratory registered by the Testing Laboratory Registration Council under the Testing Laboratory Registration Act 1972

  base-line hearing test means the test used to assess the level of hearing of a person as referred to in section 117 of the Act

  better ear means the ear with the lesser HTL at the relevant audiometric frequency

  dBA means “A”-weighted decibel

  decibel is a dimensionless unit used to compare the magnitudes of powers, intensities, or pressure squared

  degree of deafness means the binaural percentage loss of hearing as a result of a hearing impairment as determined using the tables set out in Schedule 1

  gradual process hearing test means the test used to assess a claim for deafness arising from a personal injury caused by a work-related gradual process as required for the purposes of section 69 of the Act

  HTL means the hearing threshold level

  Hz, which is the international measure of frequency, means hertz where 1 hertz equals 1 cycle per second

  insurer means an insurer within the meaning of section 75 of the Act

  ISO 6189 means the International Organisation for Standardization Standard on Acoustics—Pure Tone Air Conduction Threshold Audiometry for Hearing Conservation Purposes: Ref No ISO 6189—1983(E)

  Leq (8) means that steady noise level measured in “A”-weighted decibels referenced to 20 micropascals that, when present for 8 hours, causes the same “A”-weighted noise energy to be received as that due to the actual noise over the actual working day

  otolaryngologist means a medical practitioner—

  • (a) whose scope of practice includes—

    • (i) the branch of medicine of otolaryngology head and neck surgery; or

    • (ii) a branch of medicine that is determined by the Medical Council to be equivalent to the branch of medicine of otolaryngology head and neck surgery; and

  • (b) who is, in performing any function under these regulations, practising within that branch of medicine; and

  • (c) who is, in performing any function under these regulations, practising in accordance with any conditions included, or deemed to be included, in his or her scope of practice, including any conditions imposed by any order made under section 101 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 or section 110 of the Medical Practitioners Act 1995 or section 58 of the Medical Practitioners Act 1968; and

  • (d) who is, if 1 or more conditions of the kind referred to in paragraph (c) apply to the medical practitioner, a suitable person, in the opinion of the insurer, to perform any function required or permitted by these regulations to be performed by an otolaryngologist

  presbyacusis means the gradual loss of hearing that can be attributed to the ageing process

  scope of practice has the same meaning as in section 5(1) of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003

  worse ear means the ear with the greater HTL at the relevant audiometric frequency.

  Regulation 2 otolaryngologist: substituted, on 18 September 2004, by section 175(3) of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (2003 No 48).

  Regulation 2 scope of practice: inserted, on 18 September 2004, by section 175(3) of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (2003 No 48).