Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation

What Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation does

CAOHC is a private, non-profit professional certification body headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that establishes and maintains training standards for occupational hearing conservation personnel. Founded in 1985 and governed by a Council composed of two appointed representatives from each of nine Component Professional Organizations (AAOHN, AAA, AAO-HNS, ACOEM, AIHA, ASSP, ASHA, INCE, and MAA), the organization administers four credentialing tracks: Certified Occupational Hearing Conservationist (COHC), Course Director (CD), Professional Supervisor (CPS/A), and Hearing Conservation Manager (HCM). Its certification is not OSHA-mandated but functions as the de facto industry standard for personnel supporting workplace hearing conservation programs.

The organization's technology stack centers on the CAOHC Learning Center, an online Learning Management System (LMS) that delivers self-paced courses (including a nine-module Noise Measurement Course), administers the standardized COHC exam, manages credential verification, and issues digital certificates. Supporting products include the Hearing Conservation Manual (5th Edition), Anatomy Video Curriculum, Workplace Noise Video, Exam Prep Tool, and Study Guides. Distribution is hybrid: direct e-commerce for educational materials, the LMS for digital courses, and a national network of over 100 certified Course Directors who deliver in-person and virtual COHC training.

Revenue is generated through certification fees, tiered course registrations (e.g., $200 military / $300 member / $400 non-member for the Noise Measurement Course), product sales at unit pricing with volume discounts (e.g., Hearing Conservation Manual at $55-80, Anatomy Video at $355-395, Exam Prep Tool at $16-20), paid recorded webinars, and paid mailing list/directory access. Target customers span industrial employers with noise-exposed workers, occupational health clinics and mobile testing services, and U.S. military audiologists and technicians. Marketing leverages the OSHA Alliance, UPDATE newsletter, webinars, social media, and referral channels through the nine Component Professional Organizations.

Name

Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation

Legal name

Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation

Website

https://caohc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CAOHC is a non-profit professional certification body that credentials Occupational Hearing Conservationists, Course Directors, Professional Supervisors, and Hearing Conservation Managers, serving industrial employers, occupational health clinics, and the U.S. military through standardized training and accredited course delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification and Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Professional Organizations (813920), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Skilled Trades, Safety & Compliance Certification Prep (OSHA, HAZMAT, welding, electrical, HVAC) (EDANAIAM)

Keywords

• Occupational hearing conservation
• Professional certification programs
• Audiometric technician training
• Industrial hygiene education
• Workplace noise safety

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Certification Fees: CAOHC charges fees for certification exams, credential verification, and certification management for Occupational Hearing Conservationists, Course Directors, and Professional Supervisors.
2. Course Registrations: Revenue from Noise Measurement Course registrations at tiered pricing for members ($300), non-members ($400), and military ($200).
3. Product Sales: Sale of Hearing Conservation Manual (5th Edition) at $80 each ($55 for Course Directors), Study Guides at $10-12 each, Anatomy Video Curriculum at $395 ($355 for Course Directors), and Workplace Noise Video.
4. Exam Prep Tool Sales: COHC Exam Prep Tool sold at $20 each or $16 each for bulk orders of 10+ vouchers.
5. Webinar Revenue: Recorded webinars offered for continuing education credits through purchase/registration.
6. Mailing List/Directory Access: Mailing lists of certification holders made available to Course Directors and vendors for a fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CAOHC is a private non-profit certification body that establishes standards and credentials for occupational hearing conservation personnel. It administers four certifications (COHC, Course Director, Professional Supervisor CPS/A, and Hearing Conservation Manager), delivers training courses (Noise Measurement, Fit Testing, HCM) via in-person workshops and an online Learning Center, and sells supporting educational products including the Hearing Conservation Manual, study guides, video curricula, and exam prep tools. The organization operates a network of 100+ certified Course Directors and generates revenue through certification fees, course registrations, and product sales.

Product overview

CAOHC offers a portfolio of certifications (COHC, Course Director, Professional Supervisor CPS/A, and Hearing Conservation Manager), training courses (Noise Measurement, Fit Testing), and educational products (Manual, Study Guide, Videos, Exam Prep Tool, Webinars). The certifications form the core offering, establishing standards for occupational hearing conservation personnel, while the training courses and study materials support exam preparation and continuing education. The organization operates as an accreditation body rather than a single product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Certified Occupational Hearing Conservationist (COHC) Certification Primary certification for occupational hearing conservation technicians who conduct audiometric testing and hearing protection activities in workplace hearing conservation programs. Designed for nurses, technicians, and other occupational health personnel working in industrial settings.
• Course Director (CD) Certification Certification for professionals who train and certify COHC technicians in CAOHC-approved hearing conservation courses. Authorized Course Directors deliver in-person and virtual training across the U.S.
• Professional Supervisor (CPS/A) Certification Certification for audiologists and physicians who provide professional supervision of audiometric monitoring programs and determine work-relatedness of hearing loss. Grounded in OSHA/MSHA requirements and professional review protocols.
• Hearing Conservation Manager (HCM) Training Course Training course for managers responsible for overseeing comprehensive hearing conservation programs in occupational settings. Available as on-demand course via the CAOHC Learning Center.
• Noise Measurement Course Online course teaching how to measure, analyze, and report workplace noise exposure; covers nine modules including sound basics, metrics, instrumentation, noise surveys, statistics, and control strategies. Targeted at industrial hygienists, safety professionals, and COHC-certified personnel.
• Fit Testing Course Training on hearing protector fit testing methodologies and best practices for ensuring proper hearing protection in workplace environments.
• Recorded Webinars On-demand webinar series covering hearing conservation topics including noise exposure, hearing protection, audiometry, and regulatory compliance; offers continuing education credits from AAA and ASHA.
• Hearing Conservation Student Study Guide Instructional study guide aligned with the COHC Standardized Exam Blueprint, available in print and PDF formats in English and Spanish, designed for Course Directors and COHC certification candidates.
• Workplace Noise Video Training video covering characteristics of sound, decibel measurement, time-weighted average, permissible exposure limits, and noise control strategies for industrial hygienists and safety managers.
• Anatomy Video Curriculum 35-minute video program demonstrating ear anatomy, function, and types of hearing loss; designed to meet 60-minute instruction requirements for COHC certification courses.
• COHC Exam Prep Tool Online exam preparation resource covering domains and tasks from the COHC Exam Content Outline, accessible for 60 days after voucher redemption. Sold individually or in bulk vouchers.
• Hearing Conservation Manual (5th Edition) Comprehensive reference manual written by subject matter experts covering all aspects of hearing conservation programs, including 16 chapters and extensive appendices with regulatory guidelines (OSHA, MSHA, FRA). ISBN 978-0-9863038-0-7.

Quantifiable outcome

• Standardized certification ensures consistent quality of occupational hearing conservationists across industries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAOHC has a formal alliance with OSHA to promote hearing conservation best practices. The partnership includes educational resources, newsletters, guidance documents, and collaborative efforts to reduce occupational noise-induced hearing loss.
• National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAOHC collaborates with NHCA on joint webinars, professional development, and guidelines for hearing conservation programs. The organizations work together on best practice bulletins and continuing education.
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAOHC works with NIOSH on hearing conservation guidance, including fit testing recommendations and research collaboration. NIOSH guidance documents reference CAOHC certification standards.
• American Academy of Audiology (AAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAA provides continuing education approval for CAOHC courses and webinars. AAA members serve as representatives on the CAOHC Council governing body.
• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASHA provides continuing education credit approval for CAOHC programs and has appointed representatives to the CAOHC Council. ASHA-certified audiologists can earn CEUs through CAOHC training.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA): NHCA is the closest professional peer to CAOHC: a membership organization promoting hearing conservation best practices that co-produces webinars and advocacy with CAOHC. Both organizations serve audiologists, occupational health nurses, and safety professionals working in noise-exposed industries.
• Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP): BCSP is a leading safety and health credentialing body issuing certifications like CSP, OHST, and CHST; it operates the same professional certification model as CAOHC but for the broader occupational safety and health field, with overlapping practitioner audiences.
• American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH): ABIH credentials Certified Industrial Hygienists (CIH) and is structurally similar to CAOHC as a nonprofit certification body serving industrial hygiene and occupational health practitioners. Its CIH designation is referenced alongside CAOHC certifications in noise-exposed workplace programs.
• Council on Certification of Health, Environmental and Safety Technologists (CHEST): CHEST is a peer credentialing organization that certifies technologists in occupational health, environmental, and safety disciplines (e.g., OHST), operating the same nonprofit multi-society governance model as CAOHC for related technician-level certifications.

Broad incumbents

• American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA): AIHA is one of CAOHC's nine Component Professional Organizations and the dominant professional association for industrial hygienists. While AIHA offers broader IH training and certifications, it overlaps directly with CAOHC in noise exposure assessment and hearing conservation programming.
• American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP): ASSP is a CAOHC Component Professional Organization and the largest US professional society for safety practitioners. It offers broader occupational safety training and credentials that overlap with CAOHC's hearing conservation manager training and Course Director pipeline.
• American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM): ACOEM is a CAOHC Component Professional Organization representing occupational physicians who supervise audiometric monitoring programs. ACOEM's MD-level credentials and guidance documents intersect with CAOHC's Professional Supervisor (CPS/A) certification for occupational audiology.
• American Academy of Audiology (AAA): AAA is a CAOHC Component Professional Organization and the primary US professional society for audiologists. AAA provides continuing education approval for CAOHC courses, making it an adjacent credentialing and CE body serving the same audiologist and PS audience.

Others

• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH): NIOSH is a federal research partner of CAOHC that publishes authoritative noise exposure and fit testing guidance referenced by CAOHC training. NIOSH does not compete in certification but its research and guidance documents are co-distributed through the CAOHC-OSHA Alliance ecosystem.
• OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Centers: OSHA's OTI Education Centers deliver OSHA-mandated outreach training across occupational safety topics including hearing conservation. They are not a direct competitor on COHC certification but serve overlapping employer audiences for foundational OSHA compliance training.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CAOHC
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheCAOHC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/council-for-accreditation-in-occupational-hearing-conservation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation