Maturity assessment is one element of the Continuous Improvement component of a Total Soundscape Management program.  It provides an at-a-glance reference to a program’s development and current status.  A consolidated summary of program development progress is useful for budgeting, executive summaries, and comparisons between sites.
     This installment of the “Occupational Soundscapes” series presents the fundamental structure of a TSM Maturity Assessment.  This structure includes a rating scheme for each program component and a summary report with both textual and visual representations of assessment results.  Additional guidance is also provided for portions of the assessment that are most amenable to customization.

     Total Soundscape Management (TSM) is a comprehensive program of occupational, recreational, and community noise control, hearing conservation and health monitoring, communication, regulatory compliance, and an overarching awareness and education campaign.  That is, TSM integrates the activities, responsibilities, and all subject matter presented throughout the “Occupational Soundscapes” series into a holistic multidisciplinary program administered by organizational (i.e. employer) leaders.
     To realize its full potential, a TSM initiative requires the engagement of all members of an organization, irrespective of their enrollment status in a hearing loss prevention program (HLPP), and the surrounding community.  The tenets of TSM must be lived; that is, adherence to its principles pursued in all aspects of life – at work, at play, and at rest.