Hearing Screaning
Firefighter Services of Ontario assesses hearing according to the NFPA standards. Medical conditions that can affect a candidate’s ability to safely perform essential job tasks are designated as either Category A or Category B. Candidates with Category A medical conditions will not be certified as meeting the medical requirements of the NFPA standard. Candidates with Category B conditions shall be certified as meeting the medical requirements of the NFPA standard only if they can perform the essential job tasks without posing a significant safety and health risk to themselves, members, or civilians.
Category A
Medical conditions shall include the following:
- Chronic vertigo or impaired balance as demonstrated by the inability to tandem gait walk.
- On audiometric testing, average hearing loss in the unaided better ear greater than 40 decibels (dB) at 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, and 2000 Hz when the audiometrec device is calibrated to ANSI Z24.5.
- Any ear condition (or hearing impairment) that results in a person not being able to safely perform essential job tasks.
Category B
Medical conditions shall include the following:
- Unequal hearing loss.
- Average uncorrected hearing deficit at the test frequencies 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz, and 3000 Hz greater than 40 dB in either ear.
- Atresia, stenosis, or tumor of the auditory canal.
- External otitis.
- Agenesis or traumatic deformity of the auricle.
- Mastoiditis or surgical deformity of the mastoid.
- Meniere’s syndrome, labyrinthitis, or tinnitus.
- Otitis media.
