We provide various asbestos testing services and management options for customers such as abatement oversight, air monitoring, development of an operations & maintenance plan (O&M) including testing for all types of asbestos related material. We are certified to assess and investigate, design plan and monitor asbestos projects. We take samples of suspected material and assess the conditions. We will produce a report that summarizes the findings and advises about what corrections are needed. Often these reports are needed for securing residential renovation or demolition permits.
Asbestos surveys, project management plans and administration– Asbestos surveys are required by law and are necessary for obtaining permits. An asbestos survey is the only way to know for certain if you have asbestos. Management plans outline the risk of exposure to these fibers once examined. The plan identifies the location of asbestos, includes reasons for and decisions about the management of the asbestos in the workplace and outlines procedures for any incidents and emergencies involving asbestos, including who is in charge.
Asbestos Control Program ACP 5 & ACP 7 Surveys – The asbestos control program is required through local law 76/85 and says that any construction related job requires an asbestos survey to certify that no asbestos containing material (ACM) is present in the materials that will be disturbed. Samples of each type of material from the area(s) that will be disturbed or demolished are taken. The samples are then sent to a certified laboratory for analysis. An ACP 5 or ACP 7 form is then filled out depending on the size of the area and type of asbestos present. If asbestos is present, only a contractor specifically licensed to remove asbestos can perform the work. As part of the abatement process, an independent asbestos air monitor must be present to ensure that airborne asbestos is kept below the allowable limit. We can provide both ACP 5 & 7 and air monitoring services.
AHERA Management plans & inspections – The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) is a federal statute enacted in 1986 that requires local education agencies (LEAs) to inspect their schools for building material containing asbestos and prepare management plans to prevent or reduce asbestos hazards.
Asbestos abatement, design, specs and project oversight – An asbestos abatement project requires a project design manual be created to outline the methods of how the asbestos-containing materials will be abated during the renovation or demolition project. The information contained in the project design manual is used as a part of a specification for the work defining these operations. These documents assure the expectations for governmental compliance, safe working conditions, and habitation after abatement is complete. During Oversight a third-party representative is contacted to oversee and ensure that the abatement contractor is following the rules and regulations for removal.
Building assessments and testing pre /post demo including air monitoring – As a requirement of OSHA and the DEP building owners are required to be aware of asbestos containing material present in the building, they own Samples are taken and sent to a lab for analysis. This must be done to maintain building operations, renovations or demolition. Monitoring the air for fiber emissions both inside and outside the work area throughout the project provides safe working conditions for the workers. The National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, NESHAP, regulates the renovation and demolition of all buildings. Building inspections containing asbestos materials are required to obtain permits. Pre-demolition and pre-renovation building inspections are prerequisites for obtaining these permits.
Phase contrast microscopy PCM testing, air and bulk sample analysis – This is a specific technique used to test for and determine if airborne asbestos fibers are present. These samples are taken before, during, and after asbestos abatement activities to note asbestos fiber concentrations as background levels, inside and outside-the-work-area. This information is used to monitor the effectiveness of the asbestos abatement operations and provide assurance that airborne fibers are not exiting the containment area. Bulk sampling is defined as the process of extracting a small fraction of material from a larger bulk. It is a technique used to remove a small portion of material for analysis to determine if it contains any asbestos, leaving the original piece of material as little damaged as possible.
Emergency response oversight – Asbestos abatement procedures follow a strict set of protocols to make sure the process is safe, controlled and as efficient as possible. Even so, it is important to have an emergency response plan in case there is an accident or emergency during the abatement process. This emergency response plan ensures that everything will be handled safely.
O&M Operations & Maintenance plans – An Operations and Maintenance (O&M) plan is a formulated plan of training, cleaning, work practices, and surveillance to maintain that asbestos-containing materials (ACM) within buildings are in good condition. The goal is to minimize exposure of all building occupants to asbestos fibers by paying attention and maintaining systems.