15th Annual PACNY Environmental Conference

Turning Stone Resort & Casino does a great job of clearing snow when it occurs.

Getting ready for my annual pilgrimage to the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, New York for the 15th annual Professional Abatement Contractors of New York (PACNY) Environmental Conference.  The conference agenda is posted on their website at http://www.pacny.org/conferences.asp.  It should be alot of fun as past conferences have been.  Keynote Speaker Linda Reinstein, President of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), should be very interesting.  In addition, looking forward to the presentations from Ron Williams from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Victoria Pretti from New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH) discussing the Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP), and Chris Alonge from New York State Department of Labor (NYS DOL) discussing the 2011 changes to Industrial Code Rule 56 (ICR56).  In addition, the vendor area is a great place to see new equipment being used in the industry and to netwrok and meet clients, (friendly) competitors, and vendors.  The Turning Stone Resort and Casino as always is a really fun place to gamble and enjoy a show or dancing.  In addition, it is our understanding that the Casino is no longer a dry one (they now serve alcohol).  All in all it should be an informative and fun time, if you get a chance come visit me at our booth this year in the vendor area, we look forward to meeting you. 

Related articles

• Save The Date For PACNY's 15th Annual Environmental Conference (futureenv.blogspot.com)

CDC Public Health Matters Blog - Discusses NYC Pandemic Response

Image via WikipediaOne February 11, Scott Harper a Career Epidemiology Field Officer  (CEFO) for the Centers for Disese Control (CDC) posted "Battling Disease Outbreaks in the Big Apple."  Mr. Harper is stationed at the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene and currently leads surveillance and response activities for influenza, zoonotic, and vectorborne diseases.  The posting discusses New York City's most recent disease importation that came in the form of pandemic H1N1 Influenza in 2009-10.  It makes interesting reading and gives you an idea what life as a CEFO is like.  Hope you find it as interesting as I did.

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Could NYS Be Promulgating Lead and Mold Regulations in 2011.

 

Image via Wikipedia

Brains of Adults Who Were Exposed to Lead as Children

A recent legislative/regulatory report for New York State by the American Industrial Hygiene Association's (AIHA) Government Affairs Department indicates legislative/regulatory activity on mold, lead based paint, and even asbestos.  The Person Engaged in Commercial Mold Remediation legislation is currently being reviewed in the Assembly's Committee on Environmental Conservation, while the Childhood Lead Poisoning Primary Prevention and Safe Housing Act is being reviewed in the Assembly's Health Committee. Indications are that both legislation will require licensing and/or certification of individuals performing this work in New York State.  2011 NY A 1769 Mold Legislation (introduced 1/11/11) will require applicants for a license to submit proof or certification by the American Council for Accredited Certification (ACAC) or any other nationally recognized, third-party accredited certifying body that operates independently of training organizations and industry trade associations.  An applicant for an initial license must pass the department licensing examination in that area of licensure with a score of at least seventy percent correct before applying for the license.  All applicants must pass the department licensing examination within six months of earning certification.  While 2011 NY A 728 Childhood Lead Poisoning Primary Prevention and Safe Housing Act will require the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) to promulgate rules and regulations that shall provide for, but not be limited to, qualifications of individuals eligible to conduct such inspections, standards of practice, procedures or protocol for conducting such inspections and requirements for written reports documenting the results of such inspections. To satisfy the requirements of this paragraph, the NYSDOH may adopt regulations sufficient to satisfy the requirements of 40 C.F.R. Part 745 Subpart Q or successor regulation. It would also allow the NYSDOH to promulgate rules and regulations sufficient to satisfy the requirements of 40 C.F.R. Part 745 Subpart Q or successor regulation, governing the accreditation of persons engaging in lead based paint activities.  Don't forget it will also establish by regulation a schedule of fees for the accreditation and registration of persons engaging in lead-based paint activities or conducting inspections for conditions conducive to lead poisoning or lead-based paint activities. Such fees shall be required to be paid at the time of initial registration and at the time of subsequent renewal of registration and shall be deposited into the childhood lead poisoning primary prevention and safe housing fund established pursuant to section ninety-nine-t of the state finance law.
Along with many of you, I don't know what the chances are of these regulations actually being promulgated.  It will be interesting to see if the new year sees us with both lead and mold regulations.  In addition, their seems to be movement on the asbestos front on a new regulation taking into account the Deutsche Bank fire issues.  The PACNY Environmental Conference is in three weeks and we will see if Mr. Chris Alonge has anything new to say about the asbestos regulations.

Related articles

• Making Our Homes Safe and Healthy (whitehouse.gov)
• AIHA Registry Programs Launches New Program For XRF Field Measurement Registry (futureenv.blogspot.com)
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• NYS Toxic Mold Task Force Completes Final Report (futureenv.blogspot.com)
• Lead poisoning prevention is key (timesunion.com)
• 24 Chinese children treated for lead poisoning (cbc.ca)

Indoor Environment Connections Discusses Fungal Infection

Air Ducts Are the Lungs of the Building

In the October 2010 issue of Indoor Environment Connections (page 14), Mr. Paul Cochrane, President of Cochrane and Assoc., discusses his experience regarding a fungal infection of his lungs that at first made him think he was having a heart attack.  It is an excellently written story I suggest you read it to help you become more aware of the symptoms and problems occupants face when encountering infections.  Being in the indoor air quality industry and reading this story, allows me to better anticipate what an occupant may experiencing.  Hope it helps you, too.

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• Mother Nature's toxic little secret (mnn.com)
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Mold Complaint Dismissed

Water-damaged ceiling tiles is an indication of a moisture control problem

An article published December 23, 2010 in the Suffolk-News Herald (VA) said a lawsuit filed by a former teacher (claiming mold in her classroom made her sick) against the School Board was dismissed by a United States District Court judge last week.  The former teacher, Christina Hood, had claimed that she began suffering medical problems after beginning her job as a teacher at Booker T. Washington Elementary School in 2007. She said itchy and irritated eyes, a rash, sinusitis and bronchitis were caused by mold in the school.  She had requested damages of $1.5 million.  Hood’s complaint accused the School Board of deliberately exposing her to dangerous conditions at the school, claiming that the board knew of the mold and bacteria growths before she was hired.  She also alleged that the School Board was deliberately indifferent to her health and safety.
In a motion for dismissal, however, School Board attorney Wendell Waller noted that the school system had not been indifferent to Hood’s medical condition.  The response states that the school’s management had allowed Hood to put a dehumidifier in her classroom and frequently inquired as to her condition.  The School Board also retained a professional company to inspect Hood’s classroom for mold.  The assistant director for facilities and planning also inquired about Hood’s past medical condition and her symptoms, inspected the classroom for mold and took air samples.
The school division also had Hood’s classroom cleaned thoroughly several times and was willing to transfer her to a middle-school position teaching seventh-grade math, but Hood was licensed only up to sixth grade.
“The facts alleged … fail to meet the strict ‘shock the conscience’ standard because the defendants did not ignore Hood’s complaints but did in fact take steps to remedy conditions in Hood’s classroom,” the motion for dismissal stated.
This case shows it is important for facility directors to take the concerns of individuals complaining about indoor air quality seriously.   Facility directors should implement an indoor air quality management program to ensure you document all that was done to resolve the indoor air quality complaint.

Related articles

• Has indoor air quality been getting better or worse in recent years? (greenanswers.com)
• Christmas trees and decorations may trigger allergies (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
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• Investigate Your Indoor Air Quality (everydayhealth.com)

NYS Toxic Mold Task Force Completes Final Report

Section 1384 of the New York State (NYS) Public Health Law established the NYS Toxic Mold Task Force.  The goals of the NYS Toxic Mold Task Force was to:

• assess and measure, based on scientific evidence, the adverse environmental and health effects of mold exposure, including specific effects on population subgroups at greater risk of adverse effects;
• assess the latest scientific data on mold exposure limits;
• identify actions taken by state and local government and other entities;
• determine methods to control and mitigate mold;
• and prepare a report to the Governor and Legislature.

To achieve these goals the NYS Toxic Mold Task Force activities were organized into four main areas of inquiry:

• health effects of molds in indoor environments;
• exposure limits and assessment of mold in buildings;
• approaches to mold mitigation and remediation;
• building codes, regulations and other actions taken by other governments and private-sector organizations that relate to building mold problems.

In reading the executive summary it is clear that the NYS Toxic Mold Task Force came to the usual conclusions regarding mold that the many in the industry already know.  For example:

• Since mold problems in buildings are preventable with proper building construction, maintenance, and housekeeping aimed at preventing excess building dampness, mold exposure is preventable.
• Overabundant growth of any mold or other dampness-related organisms is undesirable and can be addressed by removing contaminants and correcting water problems.  Whether or not exposure to mold toxins is likely when mold growth occurs in a damp building does not substantially change the need for mitigation of the water and mold problem.
• Continue to improve building code requirements that address building design, construction techniques, and property maintenance so that they prevent or minimize the potential for water problems to occur.
• The presence and power of the code enforcement official (CEO) can also help minimize the potential mold problems in buildings when approving construction documents, during construction inspections of new buildings, and when issuing property-maintenance violations related to moisture conditions in existing buildings during required inspections.
• Regulating the mold assessment and remediation service industry is dependent upon how desirable it is to have persons poperly trained and following acceptable protocols.  The main public health goal of any regulation or additional guidance to the mold industry will be to reduce the potential for mold exposures and the risk of health effects in damp buildings.  Costs for such a program can range from $150,000 for using already developed general recommended work practices and certification programs to $4.5 million per year for a full regulatory program like the NYS asbestos program.
• The development of reliable, health-based quantitative mold exposure limits is not currently feasible.
• Their is limited evidence of the benefits of chemical disinfectants or encapsulant treatments for mitigating or preventing mold growth on building materials.
• The main approach to mold control and mitigation should be focused on identifying and repairing water damage in buildings and removing mold source materials.  This method of mitigation is less complicated to implement than mitigation based on attaining a numerical clearance critertion, because the main goal is to return the building to a clean and dry condition.

The document is 150 pages including tables and exhibits.  It will be interesting to see if this document actually goes anywhere in regulating the mold assessment and remediation industry.

Related articles

• Tenant, landlord of Watervliet apartment at odds over source of mold infestation (troyrecord.com)
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• Proper Roofing Maintenance Keeps the Threat of Mold at Bay (eon.businesswire.com)

New York Times Lists the Top 10 Reasons Small Businesses Fail

Image via WikipediaNew York Times posted an excellent article regarding the top 10 reasons small businesses fail.  As a small business owner myself I can say that all of these are definitely issues that make it hard to run a business over a long period of time.  Poor accounting, lack of a cash cushion, and operational inefficiencies have all played a part at one time or another for causing me problems with running my business.  However, though at times I have looked back and said what was I thinking going into business for myself, I feel it has been one of the best decisions in my life.  I highly recommend that if you have this dream you go out and just do it!

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Happy New Year One & All

Angelo Garcia III at a Metro NY AIHA meeting 

I would like to thank all of you for making 2010 a very good year.  I look forward to continuing to provide you with information, assistance, and services that help you with your business in 2011.  I promise to continue to improve Future Environment Designs, this blog, and all the services we provide to keep it up-to-date and as fresh as it can be. 

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The Importance of Developing a Marketing Plan

Image by EmaStudios via FlickrThe above linked article by Cochrane & Associates, LLC, an environmental, mold, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), and indoor air quality industries' only dedicated marketing, public relations and business development consulting firm, discusses the importance of developing a marketing plan.  Now is the time to develop your plan for 2011.  The article discusses the important points of a marketing plan these are:

• Goals
• Methods
• Frequency
• Timeframes
• Assign Tasks
• Budget
• Methods for Evaluating Success

Read the article to find out the details.

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NYS Mold Task Force Report Open For Comments

Stachybotrys chartrum (toxic mold) growing inside the wall.

New York State Mold (fungi) Task Force was created by Section 1384 of the New York State (NYS) Public Health Law (enacted in Chapter 356 of the laws of 2005; amended by Chapter 198 of the laws of 2006).  The Task Force was charged with preparing a report to the Governor and the Legislature on mold (fungus)/toxic mold.  The report would assess and measure, "based on scientific evidence, the adverse environmental and health effects of mold exposure, including specific effects on population subgroups at greater risk of adverse effects; assessing the latest scientific data on mold exposure limits; identifying actions taken by state and local government and other entities; determining methods to control and mitigate mold."  The New York State Departments of Health and State have completed a draft report (click on the title link) and are accepting comments from the public  until October 12, 2010.   Comments can be submitted by email to: moldtf@health.state.ny.us


Comments can be submitted in writing to:

Michelle Lavigne
Bureau of Toxic Substances Assessment
Flanigan Square Room 330
547 River Street
Troy, NY 12280

Questions: (518) 402-7820 or 1-800-458-1158