The Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) is inviting public comment on the comparative reliability and validity of hearing testing methods and best practices for evaluating occupational hearing loss.
OWCP is asking for input from audiologists, otolaryngologists, medical professionals, medical associations, employees, employers, insurance carriers, and other interested parties on the reliability and validity of audiograms compared with other objective tests, including the auditory brainstem response, auditory steady state response, otoacoustic emissions, and others. The agency is also soliciting comments on the current standards for administering these tests and the criteria used to evaluate hearing impairment.
OWCP encourages electronic submission of comments through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Commenters should follow the instructions on the website and include the agency name and Regulatory Information Number (RIN) for this rulemaking. Comments must be received by October 22, 2026.
Read the Request for Information here.
View the News Release here.