Yes — with an important qualification. OSHA's audiometric testing requirements do not mandate a physical sound booth; they mandate that the testing environment meet maximum permissible ambient noise levels (29 CFR 1910.95 Appendix D). The booth is a means of achieving that noise floor, not a requirement in itself.
Yes — with an important qualification. OSHA’s audiometric testing requirements do not mandate a physical sound booth; they mandate that the testing environment meet maximum permissible ambient noise levels (29 CFR 1910.95 Appendix D). The booth is a means of achieving that noise floor, not a requirement in itself. A quiet room that passes an ambient noise check meets the same standard as an engineered booth. The key is documentation: the noise level in the test environment at the time of testing must be recorded and retained as part of the audiometric record. Programs using boothless testing should be prepared to demonstrate that documented room scans accompany each testing session — that’s the evidence base that establishes validity. SHOEBOX: SHOEBOX PureTest performs an automated room scan before each session using an external Class 2 microphone, documenting ambient noise levels against OSHA Appendix D limits. If noise exceeds permissible levels at any test frequency, the system alerts the examiner before testing begins.
