c. Installation Medical Authority (IMA). The IMA plans and supervises the
overall Occupational Health Program, including the Hearing Conservation Program in
accordance with (IAW) TB MED 501 and DA Pam 40-501. The IMA ensures that a
physician determines the diagnosis of noise-induced hearing loss and notifies the
Civilian Personnel Office of hearing and noise hazardous problems. Specialists, who
assist the IMA, include medical officers, audiologists, hearing conservation officers, and
preventive medicine specialists.
d. Preventive Medicine Specialist. In most cases, preventive medicine
specialists will wear several hats and serve as the supervisors or commander's
industrial hygiene manager (TB MED 503) and/or the hearing conservation officer (TB
MED 501 and USAEHA Technical Guide (TG) No. 167), especially in the field. These
individuals will manage and coordinate all aspects of the hearing conservation program
as outlined in AR 40-5. Responsibilities of the preventive medicine specialist will vary
according to level of skill, certification needed in certain disciplines, and composition of
staff at installation or regional areas. Responsibilities include:
(1)
Drafting, staffing, and implementing a SOP.
(2)
Ensuring that medically trained personnel fit individuals with hearing
equipment.
(3) Performing announced and unannounced inspections of noise
hazardous areas at installations and in the field.
(4) Using approved and calibrated equipment, and surveying all suspected
noise-hazardous areas and equipment at least once and within 30 days of any change
in operations.
(5) Establishing a time-weighted average for all civilians working in
noise-hazardous areas and soldiers working in noise-hazardous industrial type
operations.
(6) Performing audiometric testing, maintaining audiograms (IAW
ARs 40-66 and 25-400 and TB MED 501) and providing audiometric test records and
exposure health materials or information upon request. (Must be certified to do so.)
(Usually performed by an ear, nose, and throat specialist or OH nurse).
(7) Maintaining a current inventory of all noise-hazardous areas, using DD
Form 2214 (Noise Survey), until health hazard information module (HHIM) can
accommodate noise information.
(8) Providing the names of noise-exposed personnel and the magnitude of
their noise exposure to their commander or supervisor and the hearing officer, if one is
available.
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