Effective date: March 1, 2023
Application: Applies to all new hearing loss claims submitted on and after the effective date.
Policy subject: Decision making - Injuries
Purpose:
To provide guidelines for the adjudication of traumatic and occupational noise induced hearing loss claims, as well as permanent functional impairment (PFI) awards.
Decibel means a unit of measurement expressing the relative intensity (loudness) of sound.
Hertz means a unit of frequency equal to one cycle per second and is related to the pitch of the sound.
Traumatic hearing loss
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL)
Allowable Level Decibels (Three Decibel Exchange Rate) |
Max Permitted Daily Duration (Hours) |
85 |
8 |
88 |
4 |
91 |
2 |
94 |
1 |
97 |
0.5 |
100 |
0.25 |
Permanent functional impairment (PFI) award
Hearing aids
Pre-existing conditions
Interjurisdictional exposure
The Workers’ Compensation Act, 2013
Section 20
(1) POL and PRO 11/2012, Injuries – Hearing Loss (effective February 1, 2013 to February 28, 2023).
(2) May 27, 2014. Policy and procedure review completed.
(3) January 1, 2014. References updated in accordance with The Workers’ Compensation Act, 2013.
(4) POL and PRO 01/2010, Injuries – Hearing Loss (effective April 1, 2010 to January 31, 2013).
(5) POL and PRO 01/2004, PFI – Hearing Loss (effective April 1, 2004 to March 31, 2010).
(6) POL 35/91, Establishing Date of Injury in Occupational Noise Induced Hearing Loss Claims (effective December 9, 1991 to March 31, 2004).
(7) Board Order 40/78, Noise Induced Hearing Loss (effective November 27, 1978).
(8) Board Order 30/73, Noise Induced Hearing Loss (effective September 11, 1973).
PRO 01/2023 Injuries – Hearing Loss
POL 07/2021 Arising Out Of and In the Course Of Employment
PRO 07/2021 Arising Out Of and In the Course Of Employment
POL 04/2013 Date of Injury
PRO 57/2017 Hearing Services
POL 04/2017 Injuries – Occupational Disease
PRO 04/2017 Injuries – Occupational Disease
POL 05/2014 Occupational Disease Reserve
POL 23/2010 Permanent Functional Impairment (PFI) – General
PRO 23/2010 Permanent Functional Impairment (PFI) – General
POL 12/2017 Pre-Existing Conditions – Aggravation or Acceleration
POL 02/2019 Decision making