OSHA requires a valid baseline audiogram within 6 months of an employee's first exposure at or above the action level (29 CFR 1910.95(g)(5)(i)). If the employer uses a mobile test van, the deadline extends to 12 months — but the employee must wear hearing protectors from the 6-month mark until baseline testing is completed (29 CFR 1910.95(g)(5)(ii)).
OSHA requires a valid baseline audiogram within 6 months of an employee’s first exposure at or above the action level (29 CFR 1910.95(g)(5)(i)). If the employer uses a mobile test van, the deadline extends to 12 months — but the employee must wear hearing protectors from the 6-month mark until baseline testing is completed (29 CFR 1910.95(g)(5)(ii)). The testing delivery model affects compliance directly: a program that relies on one annual van visit may not be able to obtain a new hire’s baseline within the 6-month window, making the HPD-wearing requirement active for that employee until the van returns. This gap creates both compliance risk and increased HPD cost. SHOEBOX: Because SHOEBOX is on-site and available whenever a quiet room is available, new employee baselines can be obtained within days of hire — not months. This closes the compliance gap created by trailer-based scheduling and eliminates the extended HPD-wearing requirement in most cases.
