In short
- An audiometry test (pure-tone hearing test) measures the quietest sounds you can hear at different pitches. The result is a chart called an audiogram.
- It takes about 15 to 30 minutes, is painless, and you just press a button when you hear a beep.
- In Malaysia, workers exposed to excessive noise must have a baseline test and then a test every year, under the Occupational Safety and Health (Noise Exposure) Regulations 2019.
- Noise damage builds up slowly and is permanent, but it’s preventable. Regular testing catches it early.
Hearing loss usually creeps up so gradually that people don’t notice until conversations become hard to follow. An audiometry test measures your hearing objectively, so changes are caught early, whether they come from noise at work, ageing, ear infections or other causes. This guide explains how the hearing test works, how to read your audiogram, and who needs one, including the legal requirements for workers in noisy jobs in Malaysia.
What is an audiometry test?
Pure-tone audiometry is the standard hearing test. You wear headphones in a quiet room or sound booth, and an audiometer plays beeps at different pitches (frequencies, usually from 250 to 8,000 Hz) and volumes (measured in decibels, dB). For each pitch, the tester finds the softest sound you can hear about half of the time. That’s your hearing threshold.
Depending on the reason for the test, it may also include:
- bone conduction testing, using a small vibrating headband behind the ear to tell whether a problem is in the outer or middle ear, or in the inner ear and nerve
- speech audiometry, which checks how well you hear and understand words
- tympanometry, which checks how well the eardrum moves, useful for fluid behind the eardrum or a blocked tube
Who needs a hearing test?
- Workers in noisy jobs, such as factories, construction, plantations and mills, airports, workshops, and entertainment venues
- anyone who has trouble following conversations, keeps turning up the TV, or often asks people to repeat themselves
- people with ringing in the ears (tinnitus), a feeling of blocked ears, or dizziness
- adults over 50 as a baseline, and anyone taking medicines known to affect hearing
- people needing a hearing check for a job, a driving or pilot licence, or a medical check-up
Hearing tests at work: what the law requires
The Occupational Safety and Health (Noise Exposure) Regulations 2019 replaced the older 1989 noise rules. In general, employers must:
- carry out a noise risk assessment to find out who is exposed to excessive noise
- reduce noise at the source where possible, and provide suitable hearing protection
- arrange audiometric testing for exposed workers: a baseline test within three months of starting work in a noisy area, then at least once a year
- investigate and act if a worker’s hearing gets worse, for example by moving them to quieter work or improving protection, and report confirmed occupational hearing loss as required
The noise exposure limit is 85 dB(A) averaged over an 8-hour working day. As a rough guide, if you have to shout to be heard by someone an arm’s length away, the noise is probably above that level. The Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) publishes an industry code of practice with the details.
For a hearing test at work, you’ll usually be asked to avoid loud noise for about 14 hours before it, or to wear hearing protection, so that temporary dulling of hearing doesn’t skew the result.
What happens during the test
- The tester asks about your hearing, ear problems and noise exposure, and looks in your ears. Earwax may need to be cleared first.
- You sit in a quiet booth or room and put on headphones.
- Beeps play in one ear at a time. Press the button or raise your hand every time you hear one, even if it’s very faint.
- The results are plotted on an audiogram, and the doctor or technician explains them.
The test is painless and takes about 15 to 30 minutes. Avoid coming with a cold or ear infection if you can, as it can temporarily affect the result.
How to read an audiogram
An audiogram is a chart with pitch along the top, from low to high, and loudness down the side, from soft at the top to loud at the bottom. Your right ear is usually marked with red circles (O) and your left with blue crosses (X). The lower the marks sit on the chart, the louder a sound has to be before you hear it, which means worse hearing.
| Hearing threshold (better ear) | WHO grade | What it’s like |
|---|---|---|
| Under 20 dB | Normal | No trouble hearing |
| 20 to under 35 dB | Mild hearing loss | Quiet speech is hard to follow, especially in noisy places |
| 35 to under 50 dB | Moderate | Conversation is difficult, especially in noise |
| 50 to under 65 dB | Moderately severe | Hard to follow most conversation without aids |
| 65 to under 80 dB | Severe | Most speech can’t be heard at normal loudness |
| 80 dB and above | Profound to complete | Very loud sounds only, or none |
The tell-tale “notch” of noise damage
Noise-induced hearing loss typically shows as a dip, or notch, around 4,000 Hz (often 3,000 to 6,000 Hz), with hearing better again at 8,000 Hz. Age-related hearing loss, by contrast, slopes downwards steadily towards the higher pitches. In workplace testing, each year’s audiogram is compared with the baseline. A worsening of a set amount (a threshold shift) triggers a review.
See a doctor promptly if you have…
sudden hearing loss in one or both ears (within hours to a few days), hearing loss with dizziness or a severe headache, ear pain with discharge, or ringing in one ear only. Sudden hearing loss is treated as an emergency, because treatment works best when started within days.
Protecting your hearing
- Wear earplugs or earmuffs properly, and every time you’re exposed. Even short gaps add up.
- Follow the 60/60 rule for earphones: no more than 60% volume for 60 minutes at a time.
- Take breaks from noisy places, and move away from speakers at concerts and events.
- Have your hearing tested if you notice changes, and don’t put off a hearing aid if you need one. Untreated hearing loss is linked to isolation and faster cognitive decline.
Book an audiometry test at CareClinics
CareClinics clinics offer audiometry for individuals and workplaces, along with ergonomic and fit-to-work assessments and occupational health services. Find your nearest clinic or book an appointment. Employers can arrange baseline and annual noise testing through our Occupational Safety & Health and Corporate Health teams.
Frequently asked questions
What is an audiometric test?
An audiometric (audiometry) test measures the softest sounds you can hear at different pitches, usually from 250 to 8,000 Hz. You listen through headphones and press a button when you hear a beep. The result is plotted on a chart called an audiogram.
How long does an audiometry test take?
About 15 to 30 minutes. It is painless and needs no special preparation, except avoiding loud noise beforehand, ideally for about 14 hours for a workplace test.
How do I read a hearing test chart?
Pitch runs from low to high across the top, and loudness from soft to loud down the side. The right ear is usually marked with red circles and the left with blue crosses. The lower the marks, the worse the hearing. Thresholds under 20 dB are normal.
Who needs an audiometry test at work in Malaysia?
Under the Occupational Safety and Health (Noise Exposure) Regulations 2019, workers exposed to excessive noise need a baseline audiometry test within three months of starting work in a noisy area, then at least once a year.
What does noise-induced hearing loss look like on an audiogram?
A dip, or notch, around 4,000 Hz (often 3,000 to 6,000 Hz), with hearing better again at 8,000 Hz. Age-related hearing loss tends to slope down steadily towards the higher pitches.
What is the difference between a hearing screening and audiometry?
A screening quickly checks whether you hear sounds at a few set levels, giving a pass or refer result. Full audiometry measures your exact threshold at each pitch, which shows the type and degree of any hearing loss.
Is sudden hearing loss an emergency?
Yes. Hearing loss that develops over hours to a few days should be seen by a doctor promptly, because treatment works best when started early.
Sources
- World Health Organization: Deafness and hearing loss fact sheet
- World Health Organization: World report on hearing (2021)
- Department of Occupational Safety and Health Malaysia (DOSH)
Last updated 2 November 2026. This article is general health information, not a diagnosis or a substitute for advice from your own doctor. Guidelines and travel or work requirements change, so check with a CareClinics doctor before you act on it.
