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Industrial Hygiene Services
AEI Consultants assists clients identify and evaluate potential risks associated with asbestos, lead, mold and radon.
AEI's qualified staff inspects and identifies suspect asbestos containing materials (ACMs) and characterizes sites for natural geologic deposits are known as "Naturally Occurring Asbestos" (NOA). Although the scope of an ACM or NOA survey may vary based on its purpose, they typically involve a visual inspection, sampling, analysis and a summary report, all conducted by trained and licensed inspectors. Depending on the client's specific needs, AEI can provide services from limited sampling for minor renovation projects to comprehensive surveys for demolition and major renovation projects, as well as dust mitigation plans during construction projects involving NOA.
Facilities Surveys
AEI provides a wide range of asbestos consulting and inspection services to public and private sector clients. AEI provides experienced registered EPA Accredited Asbestos-trained professionals on staff, experienced in providing clients with cost-effective solutions to asbestos concerns. AEI helps property owners meet legal requirements while reducing their liability exposure.
Survey results are used to develop Operations and Maintenance (O&M) plans to assist property owners in managing asbestos-containing materials and/or lead paint that will remain in the subject building. Since total removal is not always desirable, feasible or affordable, O&M Plans allow for the safe and effective management of ACMs/LBPs.
AEI provides in-house resources to develop detailed specifications for projects involving the removal of any or all ACMs. This includes project management, preparation of bid specifications and assistance in qualifying and selecting abatement contractors.
Air Monitoring/Clearance & Project Oversight
AEI provides air monitoring and project oversight to ensure that bid specifications are followed, safe work practices are utilized and air fiber levels are maintained below regulatory levels or project specific levels.
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Asbestos-containing dust can be generated when asbestos-containing rocks are crushed or broken through natural weathering processes or through activities such as construction, grading, quarrying or surface mining. This dust may pose serious health risks to people who inhale this material. There are important differences between ACMs and NOA. Primarily, the California Air Resources Board set a limit of 0.25% asbestos versus >1% asbestos for ACMs. Heightened data documentation is necessary in order to ensure correct characterization of regulated NOA. Most analytical laboratories are used to identify high grade mined asbestos, not NOA. AEI has technical staff experienced in every analytical aspect of asbestos including the ability to determine whether the NOA characterization fits with the EPA’s definition of regulated asbestos.
AEI's certified staff members are always up-to-date on the ever-changing lead regulations (including EPA’s Repair, Renovations, & Painting Rule) and how these regulations can potentially affect our clients.
Lead-Based Paint Hazards
AEI's certified and licensed staff can perform comprehensive lead based paint Inspections and Risk Assessments following HUD guidelines. AEI's staff members are experienced with X-Ray
Fluorescence (XRF) sampling technology, as well as standard paint chip sampling and wipe sampling.
Lead in Drinking Water
AEI performs surveys to identify potential lead contaminant sources in water supplies for commercial and residential buildings. AEI assists in finding affordable and effective methods to reduce lead concentrations in drinking water to acceptable levels.
Lead Operations & Management Plans
Once the LBP hazard is quantified, AEI has the ability to aid owners and operators in developing cost-effective ways of managing the risks associated with LBP. AEI can create O&M plans to assist facility managers with a variety of interim controls to manage lead-based paint.
Lead-Based Paint Abatement Monitoring
In cases where the removal of LBP is necessary, AEI provides project management, bid specifications, construction inspections, waste manifest review and a project closure report following abatement. The EPA Repair, Renovations & Painting Rule now specifies that only contractors who are Lead-Safe Certified can perform renovations for projects
involving the removal of more than 6 square feet of lead based paint in buildings constructed before 1978. AEI assists
our clients during LBP removal projects to ensure that no lead hazards are present following abatement activities.
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AEI’s staff conduct exposure assessments for airborne or surface mold and can identify suspect microorganisms and fungal spores. AEI can also determine structural deficiencies that may allow for moisture intrusion potentially leading to mold growth.
No current standards for acceptable levels or tolerable quantities of bioaerosols (i.e., fungal spores and hyphal fragments) are given by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Administration (OSHA). However, in a report assessing the effect of molds on indoor air quality, the California Research Bureau concluded that, “all molds under proper conditions and concentrations are capable of adversely affecting human health. Therefore, it is clear that reduction and prevention of mold exposure is needed to decrease the risk of damage to human health.” The repair of water intrusion and the immediate remediation of visible growth are both critical to avoiding future health problems.
Inspection and Remediation Protocols
AEI employs only trained and experienced personnel to deal with any fungal problem. AEI is currently up-to-date with the ever-changing guidelines concerning mold inspection and remediation. Currently all of AEI’s mold investigations follow the ASTM E 2418-06 guidelines for assessing readily observable mold, as well as determining conditions and physical deficiencies conducive to mold. All recommendations derived from our inspections are in accordance with accepted guidelines determined by the EPA as well as the American Conference of Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH).
AEI can provide client-specific management plans that describe routines to manage moisture and prevent mold growth. These MMPs will also outline the steps to be taken if moisture and mold growth are discovered, specify who is responsible for remediation actions and provides adequate documentation to record all plan activity.
AEI has successfully completed hundreds of mold surveys, remediation protocols and MMPs for a wide array of property management groups, real estate agencies and local government agencies.
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Radon is a colorless and odorless radioactive gas that can be found in commercial buildings and homes across the United States. Nearly one out of every 15 homes in the US is estimated to have an elevated radon level (4 pCi/L or more). It originates from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water and infiltrates the air. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, radon is the second most frequent cause of lung cancer.
In June 2003, the EPA revised its risk estimates for radon exposure in homes. EPA concluded that the effects of radon and cigarette smoking are synergistic, thus radon offers a higher risk of harmful effects than for non- smokers. EPA’s revised estimates are based on the National Academy of Sciences 1998 BEIR VI (Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation) Report which concluded that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking.
AEI’s trained staff can conduct radon surveys according to the EPA radon-testing protocol, utilizing short-term “charcoal liquid scintillation” testing kits. We then issue letter reports explaining the testing findings. AEI provides radon testing and consulting services to public and private clients. Our trained professionals provide cost-effective solutions to radonconcerns. AEI assists property owners and lenders to identify and reduce the environmental hazards associated with radon and if applicable, assists in finding licensed radon mitigation contractors as well as conduct follow-up testing.
AEI’s Industrial Hygiene and Site Investigation and Remediation divisions can assist clients with the technical support of a qualified environmental professional for litigation support. We provide expert witness services and report preparation in various testifying and non-testifying roles. Our experts have the ability to develop technical strategies in cooperation with the client and counsel, and perform background technical analyses for a particular site.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) investigations provide evaluations of air quality in public and commercial buildings. Indoor air quality is defined by the representation of concentrations
of pollutants and thermal conditions that may negatively affect the health, comfort and performance of the subject building’s occupants.
AEI's qualified staff inspects facilities to determine if IAQ parameter deficiencies are affecting the
comfort and performance of the building’s occupants. The scope of an IAQ survey typically involves
a visual inspection, occupant interviews and sampling of the subject building’s temperature, humidity,
carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds. AEI will also conduct an analysis of
samples for mold, asbestos and lead and will provide a detailed report of our findings. Depending on the
client's specific needs, AEI can provide services from limited complaint areas to comprehensive building IAQ
surveys for sick building syndrome or building related illnesses.
AEI’s parameter standards are taken from guidelines established by the EPA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and, when applicable, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) and the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). The IAQ
investigation report will summarize the conclusions of all the investigated parameters of the subject building.
AEI will provide recommendations as to how to resolve any potential or existing IAQ problems.
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