Following a flood, the focus of
a building owner is on the immediate need to remove water and its
accompanying debris, and assess structural damage. This focused
consideration, however, too often overlooks an equally important
consideration: the danger from exposure to biological and environmental
contamination. Flood waters can be a witch's brew of chemical releases in
flooded wastewater treatment plants, flooded junkyards, flooded animal
operations, etc. Land-applied chemicals and environmental contaminants also
become part of the flood brew. When floodwaters contain sewage or decaying
animal carcasses, infectious disease is a concern.
Even if the water appears clean,
microorganisms can cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. The
water and nutrient-rich contaminants create a breeding ground for
microorganisms, which may become airborne. In this form, they could be
inhaled, directly exposing volatile organic compounds; allergens; fungal
activity, and many other environmental factors. The fungal and biological
activity ranges
from simple to highly sophisticated contamination which may produce
pathogens causing disease in humans.
Flood damage can present serious
long-term health risks. Some molds and mildews trigger allergic reactions
and asthma, and some release disease-causing toxins that damage the liver,
central nervous system, digestive tract, and the immune system, not to
mention continuing damage to building materials long after the flood. The
potential for illnesses, an increased public awareness of the dangers, and
expanding regulatory controls have compelled those in charge of
water-damaged buildings to seek improved health and safety for the occupants
and effective strategies to minimize liability and costs.
American Engineering Testing, Inc. (AET)
can help you solve your indoor air quality mold/fungal and bacterial
problems. We have helped organizations and building owners assess and
improve building environments. We perform a large number of standard
protocol tests as well as one-of-a kind programs to address specific
requirements. Through a comprehensive program, we assess the issues, develop
and employ sound protocols to monitor the problems/contaminants, design a
remediation plan, and, if desired, monitor progress. Whether it’s occupant
exposure concerns, structural damage issues, hazardous materials concerns,
indoor environmental issues, or regulatory reporting problems, AET brings
experience and superior service to focus.
Flood damage services include:
-
Isolation of concerns and
development of the coordination allowing completion of the study
-
Visual inspections and site
sampling to identify mold/fungal contaminants
-
Microbiological/bioaerosol
sampling
-
Monitoring for fugal and
bacterial activity, Legionella in mist and air, dust and particulate, and
other stressors
-
Total and respirable
particle monitoring
-
Total volatile organic
compound survey -
Moisture surveys -
Evaluation of HVAC systems for the presence of fungal and bacterial
activity (ventilation within a building is an overriding factor in
controlling
pollutant pathways to occupied areas) -
Program development for the mitigation of a determined contaminant -
Preparation of specifications and assistance with remediation contractor
bid packages -
Provide assistance to management regarding in-house communications,
reporting to regulatory agencies and public relations -
Train employees on mold elimination, operations and maintenance
procedures and personal safety -
Engineering alternatives and construction management -
Risk assessment -
Special hazards training, including fall protection, confined space entry,
personal protection equipment -
Proper treatment, control and disposal of contaminated materials:
employee and community awareness, additional worker training, work
plans and safety plans are some of the legal requirements of any entity
cleaning up flood damaged buildings; we develop one segment or a
comprehensive plan to assure safety and legal compliance
This is only a sampling of the services available from AET,
and each service category has many sub-categories. There are also
substantial differences in assessing
flood-created mold contamination in various types of buildings: factories
and
industrial facilities are substantially distinct from office buildings.
Schools are distinct
from apartment or residential buildings. All have idiosyncrasies which can
be
distinguished by experience and expertise. AET provides a quality consultant
with
the experience and capability to distinguish symptoms of each category, the
method to confirm these issues through appropriate sampling and analysis,
and
the ability to remediate the problem.
We maintain an extensive inventory of support equipment, including equipment
for personnel sampling, area sampling, numerous direct-reading instruments,
sampling supplies, and culture media.
The emphasis of all our services is to solve problems or assist in the
solution.
We present you with a written survey report, test results and
recommendations to
deal effectively with the indoor air quality problem. |
Flood damage can present serious long-term health risks: some molds and mildews trigger allergic reactions and asthma, and some release disease-causing toxins
Through a comprehensive program, we assess the issues, develop and employ sound protocols to monitor the problems, design a remediation plan, and, if desired, monitor progress
AET provides a quality consultant with the experience and capability to distinguish symptoms of each category, confirm these issues through appropriate sampling and analysis, and remediate the problem
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