[Diagnosis, prophylaxis and certification of occupational hearing loss]

The paper includes some methodical guides for the physicians dealing with hearing protection in noisy industry and diagnosis and certification of occupational hearing loss. The Polish norm PN-77 N-01310 concerning the damage risk criteria, permissible levels of noise on work-posts, role and damping qualities of ear protectors as well as principles pre-employment and follow-up medical examinations are discussed. Apart from the frequency of audiometric tests the author lists in detail the standard conditions of the performance of these tests and their methodology. Then such problems are presented as the clinic of noise-induced hearing impairment, diagnostic criteria and criteria of certification, differential diagnosis and principles of evaluating capability for work in case of those suffering from hearing loss of various degree.