How often must equipment be inspected and calibrated?

• A. Never
• B. At least once a year
• C. Every two years
• D. Only when calibration is needed

Answer: (B)

Regular maintenance and calibration of equipment used to test and verify hearing devices keeps results accurate and ensures compliant practice. Calibrating at least once a year is the minimum you should rely on to prevent drift in measurements and to meet standards. Over time, sensors and electronics can drift, wear, or be affected by environmental factors, so an annual check aligns with expectations in many professional guidelines and regulations, supporting reliable results when fitting or verifying devices.

Choosing never to calibrate ignores the need to confirm accuracy, while calibrating only when you feel it’s needed is reactive rather than proactive. Calibrating every two years is less frequent than the standard minimum and may allow instruments to drift out of tolerance. Some devices or manufacturers may require more frequent checks, but the baseline requirement is to inspect and calibrate at least annually.