If I am required to wear a HA as per U..........

Dixie

Dixie

Farting Snowflakes
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....SDA

As many of you know I have applied for a position as a USDA Food Inspector and I am HH. I am profoundly deaf on L side and HH on R side. I can understand and comprehend conversations at room level as well as out in the production area. However, I have to submit to an audiology exam as per USDA requirements for hiring. I am told as long as I meet the minimum requirements in my HH ear, I should be fine. BUT because I would like to have this job as it pays rather well I need to know what type of HA would work well in the work conditions I will be subject to if the USDA requires that I wear one on the job.

1. It is a wet environment where the temperature can be stiffling hot in the summer and bone-chilling in the winter.
2. there will be loud machinery, loud enough that I believe it would cause the HA to automatically shut off thereby just plugging my ear up where I would actually hear less.
3. there is going to be a lot of background noise that would need to be sorted through to find the human voice for conversation with the trimmer, supervisors, other inspectors, and plant management.

I am not that worried as I know of one inspector that had to have HAs on the job but I believe he lost his hearing later in life after he started working with USDA.

But I want to know what I can do and what questions I need to ask the audiologists when I take this hearing test.

I am sure there are ways I can 'cheat' but I am sure if it comes out questionable they will recall me for another exam.

I had a CIC HA in 1999-2000 but it was a relatively new digital one and I didn't much care for it. I felt like I was hearing too much and after a while I just quit wearing it as it irritated my ears and my parents forced me to wear it all the time right off the bat which made my ear HURT and sore.

This go around I will likely try another type of HA and wear it just at work.
 
Phonak Naida are supposed to be very water resistant. So far I love the Naida UP I have.

Maybe a Phonak Naida SP could be adjusted for your loss? I don't actually know your audiogram in your HH ear, and I would hate to advise you to destroy your residual hearing.
 
I guess I should also mention that I will also have a hairnet and a bump cap on, so that too may affect the style I choose.
 
Dixie said:
I guess I should also mention that I will also have a hairnet and a bump cap on, so that too may affect the style I choose.
Click to expand...

can't help with the HA, (as I've never worn one, it was no use to me)....but those darn "hairnets"!!! and a "bump cap"??...I undy the requirement, tho'. Give us a pix of you with it on! HAHA
 
You can purchase a band for the hearing aid that will help with the weather conditions as well. It covers your hearing aid but doesn't interfere with the mic. I've never used one, but I've seen them. Honestly, this is where you'd need to meet with the audi and outline your specific needs. Since you are required to have one in order to do your job effectively, there's a good chance the VR will help purchase it. I don't know who the VR is in your area, but a few of my friends in the LR area are VR counselors so if you need some names, PM me.
 
Even if you don't always wear hearing aids in both ears, if the VR will pay for it, get two of them. That way you will always have a back-up one. OR you can wear one only for work...
 
I second the Naida's. They also adjust well to background noises (though not perfect, but then remember others in noisy environments also have trouble hearing). Remember that a good audi/HIS is as valuable as a good pair of HAs.

Good luck with the job!
 
Naida hearing aids for water resistance, background noise adjustability etc. (and they are programmable to fit your hearing loss levels). And there are also covers to protect hearing aids from moisture. I have a friend that uses the ... well, she calls them hearing aid condoms haha but she uses them and they work great for her in keeping her hearing aids dry. And she can still hear well.
 
Not me, but gives you an idea of what I would be wearing.
nwaz_02_img0202.jpg

Also I have not received an official job offer yet, but I am asking in advance so I can be prepared in case I need to take a different course of action. I have checked my application status, but there is nothing new to report.

I can hear and communicate w/o an aid but I just want to have my bases covered in case my hearing results come back and they will be like "uhmmmm you're going to need a HA to bring this within acceptable ranges." I have since found out that one other inspector I worked with was also deaf in one ear and they allowed her to work (and still do).

Maybe I just want this job too badly??
 
Dixie said:
Not me, but gives you an idea of what I would be wearing.
nwaz_02_img0202.jpg

Also I have not received an official job offer yet, but I am asking in advance so I can be prepared in case I need to take a different course of action. I have checked my application status, but there is nothing new to report.

I can hear and communicate w/o an aid but I just want to have my bases covered in case my hearing results come back and they will be like "uhmmmm you're going to need a HA to bring this within acceptable ranges." I have since found out that one other inspector I worked with was also deaf in one ear and they allowed her to work (and still do).

Maybe I just want this job too badly??
Click to expand...

There is nothing wrong with wanting a job really badly! Go for it! And Best of luck!
 
Best of luck.. Ambition gets you what you want. Do what you need to do to get what you want out of life..
:P
 
There is nothing wrong with wanting a good job. I really hope you get it. :)
 
Thanks. At first this might seem really revolting and unbecoming but the pay starts at $15/hr and maxes out at $27/hr at the GS-07 level though you can make more if you get promoted enough. It also depends upon the cost of living for your particular region/state as well. For example:

Two USDA inspectors are at the same pay grade, have the same seniority date, have the same certifications such as FSRE/PHIBs, and both work in the same state.

Inspector A works at a slaughter plant in Springdale, AR and earns $24/hr.
Inspector B works at a slaughter plant in De Queen, AR and earns $22/hr.

Why? It costs more to live in Springdale than it does to live in De Queen even though they are in the same state.

USDA believes in providing well for it's inspectors so that they can live comfortably where they are stationed.

The insurance and benefits are better than what you would find working with a company. They use a Leave system to award vacations. So when you take off you just burn x-amount of paid leave time, ranging from 4 hours of sick leave up to 240 hours of annual leave.

So while I may be working in the poultry business still, I would be working for the government and making a decent living at it as well. A job that pays that well would allow for me to finally afford a place to rent, provide my daughter with all of her needs and some of her wants. An inspector told me that at the GS-07 level, I can expect to make around $45,000-$55,000/yr depending upon my pay scale and total hours worked for that year. Around here $32,000 is considered to have a comfortable living. I am used to making only $20,000-$25,000/yr depending on how the poultry industry did for that year.
 
cdmeggers said:
Naida hearing aids for water resistance, background noise adjustability etc. (and they are programmable to fit your hearing loss levels).
Click to expand...

I know there are technical parameters and fitting ranges for the Naida, I have seen these, but since people always suggest them for grubby and damp environments, does anyone use one/a pair outside of the normal fitting range? My HF is "too good" for the Naida, but I can't find any other hearing aid that has the range of accessories, compatibility, water resistence, etc. that the Naida has, and would love to try the Naida SP. I do know that people use them with thin tubes and things too, although this is "not allowed" under local laws because it is using them outside the manufacturer recommended parameters, but just interested if people wear Naidas outside of the manufacturer suggested fitting range, since recommendations always seem to come back to the Naida!
 
Good luck with the job... I hope it (and the new HA) work out for you. Being a vegetarian for 22 years, I can't imagine working at a slaughter house. I think that's why it's great that no two people are the same. If the world were made up of people like me, no one would be eating meat ;-)
 
I dont blame you for wanting this job so badly! It is much better money and more oportunities! Good luck! I will be thinking of you!
 
I recommend the Unitron 360e. It's a super power aid made especially for tough conditions. I've worn it while working out and sweating profusely and that didn't bother it one bit (whereas by comparison my Canta 7 from GN ReSound quit working after the first 15 minutes of being exposed to sweat). One of the best parts about the Unitron 360e is that you can disable all auto features and it can act as an analog if you wish to go that route. Best sound quality in a hearing aid I've ever had, and far superior to Phonak in my experience.

Hearing Aids - 360e - Overview | Unitron
 
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