Has anyone noticed that current Ultrasound certifications do not require the technician to be able to hear?

Is it me - or does it seem odd that a technology that depends as much on qualitative sound analysis as it does on "measurement" (which I have always been dubious of) does not require any audible ability?

It is like the "lifetime" Infrared certification offered by one of the training companies - even if you go blind - you can maintain your Infrared certification.

It is up to the practitioner community to understand certification and upgrade it to the point where it is recognized by management as valuable - which is not the case with most PdM certification today.

My rant for the day!

Comments?

Terry O

Terrence, with other words I could send in a disabled person (deaf since born) to take a certification?

The reaction I get from people who put on the headphone for the first time: "the sound is coming from everywhere!!, it is too difficult"

Just like the operator who walks by his equipment everyday and "hears" when something is wrong, it takes the same time and experience to distinguish the sounds coming from every where. We even aquired special headphones that could be used together with a hard hat.
When I stand before a steam trap manifold of 12 pieces and point out the rattling one without using the tool, I don't tell the audience about the long hours of listening in the middle of the night with our UE2000

Or maybe the equipment is now that sophisticated that a flashing window come out the ultrasound gun with the message " Steam leak at 20 m, 4 o'clock, elevation 4 meters, intensity level 10"

Terry -
I don't think that the situation is necessarily as crazy as you suggest.

While a deaf Ultrasound tech cannot do a tour, (s)he may still be able to analyze, plan, understand, schedule, explain, document, etc. the results obtained in the field.

Similarly, a blind thermographer still understands IR, how to use it, procedures to apply, methods to use, etc.

Professional certifications are often limited by the certified person to the areas of their own expertise. A Professional Engineer's license is an example of this in many states. Legally, I could sign off on the design of a bridge, but I would be crazy to do so, as I am not competent in that area.

I think this comes down to what the certification means and what expectations it generates in the customer/public.

Jack

Terry,

Anyone using ultrasound technology where audio monitoring is an important part of the measurement/analysis process should have good hearing in at least one ear. I am not surpised if a Certification does not require this, because it is another example of poorly applied technology by people with no physical disabilities.

I have taught many people to use ultrasound meters with headphones. People will quickly adapt when clear audio examples are presented and appropriate verbal communication is used to describe what is observed. I am not a musician, so I quess learning ultrasound observations is easier than learning music notes.

Terry, it might be interesting to start a Thread to discuss what people with disabilities are now able and unable to do in the fields covered by the Maintenance Forums.

Walt

Before the days of portable vibration data collectors and spectrum analysers, people with "golden ears" were highly prized for their ability to distinguish good condition from poor condition.
Nowadays, if I play the sound of a vibration time signal to some engineers they are over the moon that I can "replicate" the signal which they have measured.
Surely the future of ultrasound must follow a similar path? With maturity comes measurement and with measurement comes disconnection from reality.
"The sound of inevitability Mr. Anderson"

Keep listening!
Tom Murphy
P.S. I always wear ear plugs inside my ultrasonic headphones in order to protect my hearing.

Terry, the company I work for carry's out an in house test on our eyes every year. For the majority of us are involved with visual inspections (part of the NDT crack testing etc).
A hearing test is mandatory for all new employees and all results are put in your personel folder. If you were to leave the company another test is required to determine if there has been any damage whilst employed by the company. This way they now if someone is entitled to a claim against the company for hearing loss. This is happening throughout a lot of industry hear in Australia.

As a person who has been involved with both styles of testing you yourself now if your senses have deteriorated. I personally would not be putting my name on any work/ reports that I didn't think I was 100% capable of doing.

Millions of dollars worth of equipment/production is what we are all looking at each day. The least we can do is be honest with ourselves if we get it wrong that is the thing you will be remember for. Not all the good you have done in the past.

My thoughts only

Hooch