Podcasts about post remediation verification

Welcome to the Indoor Environmental Quality podcast. Thank you for joining me for this episode. Sorry it’s been so long between episodes! We've had quarantine, working from home, adjusting to new normal - whatever you want to call it. I've wanted to do a follow up on COVID-19, but it's been tough to sort out the information and give recommendations on PPE, air conditioning, how to clean and disinfect buildings, all that. And the information keeps changing. More on that in another episode. But recent events got me motivated to record this episode. In this episode we're going to talk about disaster recovery. As I’m recording, Hurricane Laura made landfall in Louisiana on August 27, 2020, and if you’ve seen the news, the storm devastated the region. I’m about 2 hours east of Lake Charles. I’ve worked in that region of the state for more than 30 years. I have a ton of friends there, so I’m ready to get there and help however I can. Storm recovery is hard and stressful enough, and it's natural to want to clean up, fix the damage, and get back to normal as fast as we can. But sometimes it's not that simple. Besides the obvious - water damage and mold, there can be other hazards we have to deal with. Sometimes we're so fixated on the water damage or mold that we don't stop to consider other environmental and safety hazards. In this episode we'll go over some common environmental and safety hazards you're likely to encounter during recovery, and some tips on how to avoid problems: Tip #1: Contact your insurance company and engage professional/licensed electricians, contractors, and consultants before initiating work. Recovery is a marathon, not a sprint.  Tip #2: Be Safe - your safety is by far the most important consideration. Electricity - if needed, disconnect from power company. Have a licensed electrician look at your system before energizing. Check main disconnect and electrical panel (water there is a bad thing!). Also check appliances for water damage before restoring power. Beware of down wires near your home or business.Gas - check for leaks or bad connections (sometimes structures and piping move during storms or floods).Check the structure - don't go in unless you're certain it's safe.Animals - watch out for animals where you least expect. You never know when you'll run into a scared dog or a snake.Stay hydrated and wear respiratory protection (check with your physician to be sure you’re capable of wearing a respirator). Also consider wearing a hard hat and eye protection.  Tip #3: Get the building and all the materials in it dry. Place dehumidifiers & fans in the building. Your air conditioner is better than nothing (but only marginally so).If no power in the building, open the windows and doors.Remove wet gypsum board, insulation, and carpet (see Tip #4 below first)! Tip #4: Beware of other environmental issues.When you're gutting the building, demolition could disturb materials that contain asbestos, lead, mercury, and PCB. Also watch out for stored chemicals like gasoline, motor oil, and pesticides. Tip #5: Clean, Disinfect, & Dry.Get the cleaned up areas white glove clean—no debris or dust or mold should remain. Bleach kills mold & disinfects, but there are other options. Soap (Borax) and water are effective and there is a positive residual effect). Distilled White Vinegar is effective, and you can get it almost anywhere.Commercial products like Foster's, Microban or Shockwave are pretty good but may be hard to get unless you know a contractor.No matter what you use, read the Safety Data Sheets and instructions—protect yourself.Get the building dry and keep it dry.  Tip #6: Salvageable items.Use a baby pool, bath tub, or bucket as wash stations. Wash dishes and utensils. Launder clothes (you’ll be able to save some of your clothes). Get them dry and keep them dry.Appliances can sometimes be salvaged—if you dry them and clean them before energizing them. Don’t get electrocuted or cause a fire! Make sure circuits and wiring weren't damaged by water, especially if you think salt water intrusion occurred. Yes, your refrigerator and freezer will be nasty on the inside—but oftentimes can be cleaned and deodorized.  Tip #7: Mold.Sampling is a waste of time and money before remediation. There is no good mold to grow indoors! Remove moldy materials (check the back of your wall board and sheathing!). Clean the space white glove clean. Conduct a valid Post Remediation Verification visual inspection (and sample now if you think it's needed).Dry the space and keep it dry. If someone tells you a “Mold Free” certificate is required, run them off! It’s a scam! Thanks for listening! If you have tips for Hurricane Laura recovery, mold remediation, or would like to share your story from past disasters, email me. Follow me on Twitter & Instagram - my Twitter and Instagram handles are: @chriswhitepe Here are some links to our blog topics on Hurricane Laura:https://wynnwhite.com/mold/tropical-storm-marco-hurricane-laura/ https://wynnwhite.com/mold/hurricane-laura-environmental-cleanup/ https://wynnwhite.com/environment/how-do-you-separate-hurricane-laura-mold-damage-from-prior-mold-damage/ Here's some other helpful information:  LSU:  http://www.lsuagcenter.com/topics/family_home/hazards_and_threats Texas A & M:  http://texashelp.tamu.edu/disaster-recovery-guide-and-ebook.php FEMA:  https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/31368   

Welcome to the Indoor Environmental Quality podcast. Thank you for joining us for this episode. In today's episode we're going to talk about disaster recovery. As we're recording, we're in the midst of the 2019 Atlantic storm season. At present the NOAA website shows 4 storms in the Atlantic, and one in Texas. We all know someone who's gone through a flood, tropical storm or hurricane. Storm recovery is hard and stressful enough, and it's natural to want to clean up, fix the damage, and get back to normal as fast as we can. But sometimes it's not that simple. Besides the obvious - water damage and mold, there can be other hazards we have to deal with. Sometimes we're so fixated on the water damage or mold that we don't stop to consider other environmental and safety hazards. In this episode we'll go over some common environmental and safety hazards you're likely to encounter during recovery, and some tips on how to avoid problems:Tip #1: Contact your insurance company and engage professional/licensed electricians, contractors, and consultants before initiating work. Recovery is a marathon, not a sprint. Tip #2: Be Safe - your safety is by far the most important consideration.Electricity - if needed, disconnect from power company. Have a licensed electrician look at your system before energizing. Check main disconnect and electrical panel (water there is a bad thing!). Also check appliances for water damage before restoring power. Beware of down wires near your home or business.Gas - check for leaks or bad connections (sometimes structures and piping move during storms or floods).Check the structure - don't go in unless you're certain it's safe.Animals - watch out for animals where you least expect. You never know when you'll run into a scared dog or a snake. Stay hydrated and wear respiratory protection (check with your physician to be sure you’re capable of wearing a respirator). Also consider wearing a hard hat and eye protection. Tip #3: Get the building and all the materials in it dry.Place dehumidifiers & fans in the building. Your air conditioner is better than nothing (but only marginally so).If no power in the building, open the windows and doors.Remove wet gypsum board, insulation, and carpet (see Tip #4 below first)! Tip #4: Beware of other environmental issues.When you're gutting the building, demolition could disturb materials that contain asbestos, lead, mercury, and PCB. Also watch out for stored chemicals like gasoline, motor oil, and pesticides. Tip #5: Clean, Disinfect, & Dry.Get the cleaned up areas white glove clean—no debris or dust or mold should remain. Bleach kills mold & disinfects, but there are other options. Soap (Borax) and water are effective and there is a positive residual effect). Distilled White Vinegar is effective, and you can get it almost anywhere.Commercial products like Foster's, Microban or Shockwave are pretty good but may be hard to get unless you know a contractor.No matter what you use, read the Safety Data Sheets and instructions—protect yourself.Get the building dry and keep it dry. Tip #6: Salvageable items.Use a baby pool, bath tub, or bucket as wash stations. Wash dishes and utensils. Launder clothes (you’ll be able to save some of your clothes). Get them dry and keep them dry.Appliances can sometimes be salvaged—if you dry them and clean them before energizing them. Don’t get electrocuted or cause a fire! Make sure circuits and wiring weren't damaged by water, especially if you think salt water intrusion occurred. Yes, your refrigerator and freezer will be nasty on the inside—but oftentimes can be cleaned and deodorized. Tip #7: Mold.Sampling is a waste of time and money before remediation. There is no good mold to grow indoors! Remove moldy materials (check the back of your wall board and sheathing!). Clean the space white glove clean. Conduct a valid Post Remediation Verification visual inspection (and sample now if you think it's needed).Dry the space and keep it dry. If someone tells you a “Mold Free” certificate is required, run them off! It’s a scam!Helpful information: LSU:  http://www.lsuagcenter.com/topics/family_home/hazards_and_threatsTexas A & M:  http://texashelp.tamu.edu/disaster-recovery-guide-and-ebook.phpFEMA:  https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/31368Email Chris White 

Mold Remediation: Post Remediation Verification Part 4 of a 4-part Series www.iepradio.com In this episode we continue the conversation regarding Post Remediation Verification that follows mold remediation projects. TOPICS: Potential roles of an IEP: Provide remediation scope of work Provide oversight of the project: before, during, after Identify expectations up front What is the IEP’s Testing Criteria? (e.g. What determines a “pass” or “fail”?) How much sampling? (statistical & health-based considerations) What type of analysis is being performed? (e.g. Direct Examination, Culturing, qPCR, Gravimetric dust, etc..) What are the known limitations of each analysis method? When are we sampling? (e.g. ~24 hours after final cleaning? ~4-6 weeks after final cleaning?) Note: IEP Radio has received express permission from Dr. Robert Brandys to mention his content.

This week's IAQradio+ visits with an old friend of the show and one of our most active guests over the years Don Weekes, CIH, CSP. Don is a Certified Industrial Hygienist and Certified Safety Professional who has recently retired from InAIR Environmental which is based in Ottawa, ON. He is a Past President of IAQA, as well as Past President of the Ottawa Valley Chapter for ASHRAE.  Mr. Weekes is currently the President of the Indoor Environmental Quality - Global Alliance (IEQ-GA), and he also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienist (ACGIH).   Don has also been involved with the following professional organizations; American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), International Society of Indoor Air Quality (ISIAQ), and Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC). He is the past Chair of American Industrial of Hygiene Association (AIHA) Indoor Environmental Quality Committee and a Fellow of the Association. He is a four-time recipient of the AIHA's Best Seller award for the 'Report of the Microbial Task Force' in 2001 and 2002, the 'Assessment, Remediation and Post-Remediation Verification of Mold in Buildings' publication in 2004, and the Green Book, aka 'Recognition, Evaluation and Control of Indoor Mold, book in 2008.

This week we welcome Don Weekes, CIH, CSP and Stephanie Sears, MBA, PMP, CMP to IAQ Radio. Most listeners know Don as a regular guest and Past President of IAQA. Stephanie joined early this year along with ASHRAE President David Underwood and IAQA Past President Kent Rawhauser to review the ASHRAE/IAQA Conference in Orlando, Florida. This week we look forward to discussing how IEQ issues in the US and the rest of the world are the same and how they differ. We also want to learn from Stephanie about the IAQA Strategic Plan for moving forward now that the merger is complete. Don has been traveling around the world for conferences and presentations for years now, Stephanie had extensive international experience in her previous positions. They are both recently returning from India where a new IAQA Chapter was set up. We look forward to this opportunity to LEARN MORE about IEQ Around the World and the IAQA Strategic Direction this week on IAQ Radio. Donald Weekes, CIH is InAIR Environmental's Certified Industrial Hygienist and has been providing environmental and occupational health and safety assistance for more than 35 years. He is affiliated with the American Industrial of Hygiene Association (AIHA) as past Chair of the Indoor Environmental Quality Committee and as a Fellow of the Association. He is a four-time recipient of the AIHA's Best Seller award for the 'Report of the Microbial Task Force' in 2001 and 2002, the 'Assessment, Remediation and Post-Remediation Verification of Mold in Buildings' publication in 2004, and the Green Book, aka 'Recognition, Evaluation and Control of Indoor Mold, book in 2008. Stephanie Sears is currently the serving as the executive director for the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA). As the Association's Executive Director, Sears serves as the primary liaison to IAQA's Board of Directors, coordinating projects between IAQA's 2,500 volunteers and eight staff. Prior to IAQA, Sears was at Equifax, where she served as the Director of Global Operations Business Planning and Analysis since 2013. Prior to Equifax, she spent 10 years at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

This week we welcome Don Weekes, CIH, CSP and Stephanie Sears, MBA, PMP, CMP to IAQ Radio. Most listeners know Don as a regular guest and Past President of IAQA. Stephanie joined early this year along with ASHRAE President David Underwood and IAQA Past President Kent Rawhauser to review the ASHRAE/IAQA Conference in Orlando, Florida. This week we look forward to discussing how IEQ issues in the US and the rest of the world are the same and how they differ. We also want to learn from Stephanie about the IAQA Strategic Plan for moving forward now that the merger is complete. Don has been traveling around the world for conferences and presentations for years now, Stephanie had extensive international experience in her previous positions. They are both recently returning from India where a new IAQA Chapter was set up. We look forward to this opportunity to LEARN MORE about IEQ Around the World and the IAQA Strategic Direction this week on IAQ Radio. Donald Weekes, CIH is InAIR Environmental's Certified Industrial Hygienist and has been providing environmental and occupational health and safety assistance for more than 35 years. He is affiliated with the American Industrial of Hygiene Association (AIHA) as past Chair of the Indoor Environmental Quality Committee and as a Fellow of the Association. He is a four-time recipient of the AIHA's Best Seller award for the 'Report of the Microbial Task Force' in 2001 and 2002, the 'Assessment, Remediation and Post-Remediation Verification of Mold in Buildings' publication in 2004, and the Green Book, aka 'Recognition, Evaluation and Control of Indoor Mold, book in 2008. Stephanie Sears is currently the serving as the executive director for the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA). As the Association's Executive Director, Sears serves as the primary liaison to IAQA's Board of Directors, coordinating projects between IAQA's 2,500 volunteers and eight staff. Prior to IAQA, Sears was at Equifax, where she served as the Director of Global Operations Business Planning and Analysis since 2013. Prior to Equifax, she spent 10 years at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

This week we welcome Lan Chi Nguyen Weekes, M.A.Sc, P Eng. and Don Weekes, CIH of In Air Environmental. InAir and their dynamic duo leaders are widely recognized as being a step ahead when it comes to providing state of the art consulting services related to IAQ, Green Buildings and industrial hygiene. We look forward to hearing what they see as the current and future trends in the industry along with a review of the ASHRAE conference where ASHRAE and IAQA finalized the merger of the two organizations. Lan Chi Nguyen Weekes is a co-founder and partner of InAIR Environmental Ltd., an indoor environmental quality consulting firm. Lan Chi's profile includes over 26 years of engineering experience with 23 years in the indoor environment field. She holds a Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering from the �?cole Polytechnique of Montr�©al and a Masters in Applied Science in Building Environment from Concordia University in Montr�©al, Qu�©bec. Lan Chi has served as President of the Ottawa Valley Chapter of ASHRAE and of the Ottawa Chapter of the Canada Green Building Council. She is currently serving on the Environmental Health Committee and TC1.12 for ASHRAE and on the technical committee for Healthy Building 2015, Boulder, Colorado. Donald Weekes, CIH is InAIR Environmental's Certified Industrial Hygienist and has been providing environmental and occupational health and safety assistance for more than 35 years. He is affiliated with the American Industrial of Hygiene Association (AIHA) as past Chair of the Indoor Environmental Quality Committee and as a Fellow of the Association. He is a four-time recipient of the AIHAâ??s Best Seller award for the "Report of the Microbial Task Force" in 2001 and 2002, the "Assessment, Remediation and Post-Remediation Verification of Mold in Buildings" publication in 2004, and the Green Book, aka "Recognition, Evaluation and Control of Indoor Mold", book in 2008.

This week we welcome Lan Chi Nguyen Weekes, M.A.Sc, P Eng. and Don Weekes, CIH of In Air Environmental. InAir and their dynamic duo leaders are widely recognized as being a step ahead when it comes to providing state of the art consulting services related to IAQ, Green Buildings and industrial hygiene. We look forward to hearing what they see as the current and future trends in the industry along with a review of the ASHRAE conference where ASHRAE and IAQA finalized the merger of the two organizations. Lan Chi Nguyen Weekes is a co-founder and partner of InAIR Environmental Ltd., an indoor environmental quality consulting firm. Lan Chi's profile includes over 26 years of engineering experience with 23 years in the indoor environment field. She holds a Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering from the �?cole Polytechnique of Montr�©al and a Masters in Applied Science in Building Environment from Concordia University in Montr�©al, Qu�©bec. Lan Chi has served as President of the Ottawa Valley Chapter of ASHRAE and of the Ottawa Chapter of the Canada Green Building Council. She is currently serving on the Environmental Health Committee and TC1.12 for ASHRAE and on the technical committee for Healthy Building 2015, Boulder, Colorado. Donald Weekes, CIH is InAIR Environmental's Certified Industrial Hygienist and has been providing environmental and occupational health and safety assistance for more than 35 years. He is affiliated with the American Industrial of Hygiene Association (AIHA) as past Chair of the Indoor Environmental Quality Committee and as a Fellow of the Association. He is a four-time recipient of the AIHAâ??s Best Seller award for the "Report of the Microbial Task Force" in 2001 and 2002, the "Assessment, Remediation and Post-Remediation Verification of Mold in Buildings" publication in 2004, and the Green Book, aka "Recognition, Evaluation and Control of Indoor Mold", book in 2008.

This week we will have a discussion of Post-Remediation Verification (PRV) on Mold Remediation Projects with Larry Robertson, the Indoor Air Quality Association's 1st President and founding board member. Mr. Robertson has been a leader in IAQ research and services for over 2 decades. He is known for establishing Mycotech Biological, Inc. (MBI), one of the first environmental laboratories that specialized in the identification of fungi and their association with HVAC systems. He is currently preparing for a presentation on PRV at the IAQA Conference March 27- Feb. 1, 2013 in Orlando, Florida. We look forward to discussing his experience with PRV in the early days of the mold rush, standards and guidelines that have influenced PRV over the years and current thoughts on PRV. Join us and LEARN MORE about mold post-remediation verification this week on IAQ Radio!

This week we will have a discussion of Post-Remediation Verification (PRV) on Mold Remediation Projects with Larry Robertson, the Indoor Air Quality Association's 1st President and founding board member. Mr. Robertson has been a leader in IAQ research and services for over 2 decades. He is known for establishing Mycotech Biological, Inc. (MBI), one of the first environmental laboratories that specialized in the identification of fungi and their association with HVAC systems. He is currently preparing for a presentation on PRV at the IAQA Conference March 27- Feb. 1, 2013 in Orlando, Florida. We look forward to discussing his experience with PRV in the early days of the mold rush, standards and guidelines that have influenced PRV over the years and current thoughts on PRV. Join us and LEARN MORE about mold post-remediation verification this week on IAQ Radio!