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Occupational Noise Control for
Industrial Hygienists
We take the same project from personal dosimetry through control design, installation, and post-installation measurement, so the exposure reduction is documented.
Defensible Noise Exposure Data for OSHA Audits
Memtech Acoustics measures first. We quantify exposure with calibrated instrumentation to OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95 and NIOSH criteria, trace it from source to receiver, and document it in a report you can defend.
Then we design the engineering controls, such as enclosures, barriers, silencers, and vibration isolation, and see them through installation.
Afterward we measure exposure again, so the file shows both the problem and the result.
Then we design the engineering controls, such as enclosures, barriers, silencers, and vibration isolation, and see them through installation.
Afterward we measure exposure again, so the file shows both the problem and the result.
Common Challenges We Solve.
Employee exposures over the action level or PEL, with a corrective-action deadline attached.
Noise control proposals with no measured data behind them.
A capital decision on noise controls stalled for lack of measured data.
A customer spec or OSHA audit that requires a specific, documented result.
Programs leaning on hearing protection without exhausting engineering controls.
Equipment noise reaching adjacent offices and occupied areas.
How Noise Exposure Is Measured and Controlled
Industrial Hygienists
Personal Dosimetry, Octave-Band Analysis, and TWA
We run personal dosimetry and area sound level measurements to OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95 and NIOSH criteria, capturing TWA, dose, and peak levels across the full shift rather than a spot reading.
Octave-band analysis shows which frequencies carry the energy, which determines which control will work.
Measurements use calibrated Class 1 instrumentation with NIST-traceable calibration, and the method is stated in the report, so the result holds up for an OSHA compliance officer, a customer, or your own leadership.
You get an exposure value you can defend and the frequency data needed to design the control.
Octave-band analysis shows which frequencies carry the energy, which determines which control will work.
Measurements use calibrated Class 1 instrumentation with NIST-traceable calibration, and the method is stated in the report, so the result holds up for an OSHA compliance officer, a customer, or your own leadership.
You get an exposure value you can defend and the frequency data needed to design the control.
Industrial Hygienists
Source, Path, Receiver, and the Hierarchy of Controls
Under 29 CFR 1910.95(b)(1), when exposure exceeds the permissible exposure limit, feasible administrative or engineering controls come first, and hearing protection is used where those controls fall short. A program that goes straight to hearing protection is hard to defend.
We work from source to path to receiver. We identify the machines and processes driving exposure, measure how the noise reaches the worker, and target the control that gives the largest exposure reduction for the investment.
That usually means treating the source with enclosures, barriers, silencers, damping, or vibration isolation, each designed to a measured insertion-loss target.
Administrative controls and hearing protection still have a place, alongside engineering controls rather than instead of them.
We work from source to path to receiver. We identify the machines and processes driving exposure, measure how the noise reaches the worker, and target the control that gives the largest exposure reduction for the investment.
That usually means treating the source with enclosures, barriers, silencers, damping, or vibration isolation, each designed to a measured insertion-loss target.
Administrative controls and hearing protection still have a place, alongside engineering controls rather than instead of them.
Industrial Hygienists
Our Occupational Noise Capabilities
Every plant has its own noise sources and its own limits on downtime and capital. We measure the actual exposure, model the control options, and recommend the one that gives the largest exposure reduction for the budget.
Our capabilities include:
- Personal noise dosimetry and octave-band area measurement
- Engineering controls: enclosures, barriers, and silencers sized to a target insertion loss
- Machine and equipment acoustic enclosures for high-exposure areas
- Vibration isolation to cut structure-borne noise
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95 and NIOSH compliance documentation for audits and claims
- Hearing conservation program support with post-control verification
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Industrial Hygienists
Facilities We Serve
We assess and control occupational noise across industrial environments, including:
- Foundries and metal fabrication
- Manufacturing and assembly plants
- Automotive and Tier 1 suppliers
- Food, beverage, and packaging
- Plastics, injection molding, and extrusion
- Warehousing and distribution centers
- Power generation and utilities
- Chemical and process facilities
- Machine shops and CNC areas
- Test cells and equipment run-off
- Compressor, pump, and generator rooms
Industrial Hygienists
Noise Control Solutions We Deliver
Engineering controls designed to a measured insertion-loss target and verified after installation.
Featured Case Study
A Packaging Room Over the Action Level
A manufacturer's packaging room put 7 of 10 employees over the OSHA action level. Memtech Acoustics ran full-shift dosimetry and octave-band mapping, isolated the tonal and broadband sources, and scoped the controls, so the fix targeted the noise instead of defaulting to hearing protection.
Highlights
- Full-shift personal dosimetry with NIST-traceable Class 1 instrumentation
- Octave-band mapping isolated the sources: broadband weighing noise plus tonal vacuum-pump spikes at 63 and 125 Hz
- Exposures documented against OSHA 1910.95, MSHA, and NIOSH criteria
- Engineering controls scoped at the source, so hearing protection is the last layer, not the program
Trusted By
Manufacturers and EH&S teams rely on Memtech Acoustics for defensible, audit-ready noise exposure data.
Past performance includes SoundOff Signal, Magna Cosma, ABB, Oetiker, Second Nature Brands, and Carroll Products.
NIST-traceable instrumentation · OSHA 1910.95 methodology · 25+ years
NIST-traceable instrumentation · OSHA 1910.95 methodology · 25+ years
Why Memtech Acoustics?
- Precision Over Guesswork
We begin with by acquiring comprehensive data at your location. Our designs are not based on assumptions. - Full-Service, No Shortcuts
We’re Michigan’s only full-service firm. We design it, source it, and install it. - Certified Experts, Not Salespeople
Your project is led by engineers and trained acoustical analysts. We speak the language of results and compliance. - Consultative, Not Cookie-Cutter
No two environments are the same. We tailor every solution around your space, constraints, and business goals. - Quiet With Great Aesthetics
From conference rooms to corporate headquarters, our solutions are as aesthetically refined as they are acoustically effective.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a noise exposure assessment, and when do we need one?
A noise exposure assessment measures how much sound workers actually receive over a shift, using personal dosimetry and area readings, judged against OSHA limits. You need one when exposures may approach the OSHA 85 dBA action level, when a new process or machine is added, or when a customer spec, permit, or audit requires documented levels. Memtech Acoustics runs personal dosimetry and area measurement to OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95 and NIOSH criteria and documents the result.
What is the difference between the action level and the PEL?
The OSHA action level is an 8-hour TWA of 85 dBA, which triggers a hearing conservation program; the permissible exposure limit is a 90 dBA TWA. Memtech Acoustics measures both against the standard and reports where each worker falls, so your program and controls are scoped to the real exposure.
Dosimetry or a sound level meter, which do you use?
Both, for different questions. Personal dosimetry captures a worker's full-shift TWA and dose; area sound-level and octave-band measurement locate and characterize the sources. Memtech Acoustics uses Class 1 instrumentation for both, so the data is defensible and detailed enough to engineer a control.
Can you reduce the exposure, or only measure it?
Both. Memtech Acoustics designs the control after measuring, using enclosures, barriers, silencers, damping, and vibration isolation sized to a target insertion loss, then measures again to verify. We manage the installation, so the control gets built as designed.
Why engineering controls instead of hearing protection?
Because 29 CFR 1910.95(b)(1) requires feasible administrative or engineering controls when exposure exceeds the PEL, with hearing protection used where those controls fall short. Engineering controls lower the exposure itself, so hearing protection is a backup rather than the whole program.
Will controlling noise mean shutting down production?
Rarely for long. Memtech Acoustics measures around your normal operation and sequences installation into shutdowns, off-shifts, or phased windows. We identify at proposal stage what requires downtime, so there are no surprises for operations.
Do you support our hearing conservation program?
Yes. Memtech Acoustics provides the exposure monitoring, area mapping, and engineering-control documentation a hearing conservation program relies on under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95, so the program rests on measured data and implemented controls rather than PPE alone.
How fast can you turn around an assessment?
Most single-site noise surveys are scheduled within a week or two and reported shortly after the field work, depending on shift coverage and the number of areas. Memtech Acoustics scopes the timeline against your compliance or audit deadline up front.
What does an assessment cost?
We price by scope, so you have the number before work starts. A focused noise exposure survey typically runs in the low thousands; a plant-wide assessment with octave-band analysis and a controls plan is scoped to the site. Memtech Acoustics prices this way because a defensible report is what justifies the control investment.
Where does Memtech Acoustics work?
Memtech Acoustics is based in Rochester Hills, Michigan and serves industrial clients across Michigan and nationwide, with on-site measurement and engineered controls delivered wherever the plant is.
Let’s Engineer the Right Solution, Together.
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