Document ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0024-0038
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2006-04-19T04:00Z

Page
1
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Mr.
Kenneth
Feith
Senior
Scientist
Office
of
Policy
Analysis
and
Review
US
Environmental
Protection
Agency
DATE:
September
15,
2005
RE:
Sonomax
 
Solution
Presentation
and
Request
for
Advisement
Thank
you
for
giving
us
the
opportunity
to
present
you
with
the
following
materials:

1).
Presentation:
"
Third
Party
Validation
of
SonoPass
 
for
Objective
Assessment
of
HPD
Performance
in
the
Field"
based
on
studies
by
Jérémie
Voix,
M.
A.
Sc.,
P
Eng.
and
Jean
Zeidan
M.
Sc
(
including
copies
of
references)
2).
Overview
of
SonoPass
 
System
whitepaper
by
Jeremie
Voix
M.
A.,
P.
Eng,
Director
of
Research
and
Chief
Scientist,
Sonomax
 
3).
Sonomax
Solution
Fitting
Session
cd­
rom
4).
Copy
of
Sonomax
recent
correspondence
with
the
EPA
Sonomax
Hearing
Healthcare,
Inc.
has
developed
a
systems­
based
solution
that
provides
just
such
a
predicted
personal
attenuation
rating
(
P­
PAR).
It
incorporates
a
customized
HPD
earmold
combined
with
individual
assessment
of
the
attenuation
performance
of
each
earmold
on
each
user.
Since
the
process
determines
individual
attenuation
values
for
each
ear
of
each
user
as
the
devices
will
be
used
in
practice,
NRR
is
inapplicable
and
irrelevant.

The
Sonomax
Solution
is
an
incomparable
technology
which
consists
of
development
of
SonoCustoms
 
,
individually
fit,
customized
HPDi;
individual
performance
assessment
of
each
earmold
managed
by
SonoPass
 
fitting
and
evaluation
software;
and
SonoFilters
 
,
passive
acoustical
dampers
which
permit
adjustment
of
attenuation
to
match
the
HPD
to
the
noise
exposure
of
individual
workers,
thus
enhancing
communication
and
warning
signal
detectionii.

In
light
of
our
most
recent
findings
and
today's
presentation,
we
request
a
formal
advisement
to
Sonomax
by
your
office
regarding:
1).
How
Sonomax
might
work
with
EPA
and
NIOSH
to
develop
standards
designed
to
enhance
the
protection
of
hearing
from
noise
using
the
latest
technology
on
the
market
2).
EPA's
timeline
to
offer
a
formal
recommendation
of
Docket
OAR­
2003­
0024­
002
3).
How
Sonomax
might
be
recognized
as
a
technology
leader
and
be
considered
for
a
written
exemption
from
the
NRR
evaluation
requirement
of
40CFR211
Subpart
B.

4).
Permission
to
Sonomax
to
use
the
alternative
label
shown
below
as
a
substitute
for
the
NRR
label
to
assure
users
that
the
Sonomax
devices
are
an
accepted
HPD.
Page
2
Alternate
Evaluation
Method
Before
the
end
of
2005,
we
will
provide
your
office
with
even
more
field
studies
and
scientific
findings
which
will
validate
the
Sonomax
 
System.

Thank
you
for
your
consideration
of
this
formal
advisement.

Nick
Laperle
President