Associates in Acoustics, Inc.

Associates in Acoustics, Inc. (AIA) is a professional consulting firm specializing in Industrial Noise Measurement, Engineering Noise Control and Hearing Conservation Programs. We are one of the few acoustical consulting firms that conduct over 95 percent of our services for industrial clients, including transportation, mining, utilities and manufacturing. Typical services we provide include:

• Measurement, analysis and design of engineering noise controls,
• Comprehensive surveys of area noise levels and employee noise exposures,
• Hearing conservation program design, assessment, and facilitation,
• Audiometric testing, reporting, and professional review and management of audiometric data,
• Training seminars in noise control, hearing conservation, and audiometric technician certification,
• Employee training programs,
• Environmental and community noise evaluation,
• Evaluation of workers' compensation claims for hearing loss,
• Emergency alarm and notification system assessment and design for new and existing systems,
• Product noise and vibration control (OEM applications),
• Hearing protection device consultation, and
• Building mechanical and HVAC noise controls.

It is important to note that acoustics is an exact science. However, the practice of noise control engineering is truly an art form. Toward this effort, we at Associates in Acoustics, Inc. rely upon both our technical expertise and practical working experience to address the needs of a client and provide them with cost effective and workable solutions.

The noise control philosophy of Associates in Acoustics, Inc. is to work within the production and equipment operational constraints to initially design and recommend some form of source treatment. In effect, source modifications address the root cause of a noise problem, whereas enclosures, barriers and absorption material for a room=s surface areas only treat the symptoms of a source. It is only after all potential source treatments have been exhausted or deemed infeasible that we work toward controlling noise along the sound transmission path.

Our philosophy of hearing conservation programs consists of a "real-world" practical approach to prevention of hearing loss. Employees must become self-motivated to protect their hearing both on and off the job. Successful hearing conservation programs are designed to achieve these goals through effective noise measurement and noise control, motivational employee training and education efforts, a practical "common-sense" hearing protection program, accurate audiometric testing, quality review of audiograms and follow-up on results, precise recordkeeping, and routine evaluations of program effectiveness. Our audiologists review each employee's audiometric records individually, which allows for detection of data trends, management of recordkeeping and quality assurance, and optimizes hearing health management.

AIA's consulting staff is comprised of true experts in the field. Each of our staff has over 15 years experience providing noise control and/or hearing conservation services to industry. Our consultants are frequent presenters at meetings and conferences, authors of publications relating to noise and hearing conservation, and are active participants, officers and committee members for key professional organizations in this field. Our staff is well versed in state and federal OSHA and MSHA regulatory issues, including common sense approaches and compliance nuances.

Our corporate office is located in Evergreen, Colorado. We also have branch offices in Greeley, Colorado, Denver, Colorado, Loveland, Colorado, Kansas City, Missouri/Kansas, and Dallas, Texas. Finally, we network with a few selected independent consultants in Chicago, Illinois and Raleigh, North Carolina.