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Construction/General Contractor
The Hidden Factor That Can Sink a Construction Project
Put yourself in this situation:
Excavation is underway at the construction site when a recently-hired laborer complains of an “odd smell” in the air. Nobody else on the crew senses anything unusual, so work continues.
The next day, the employee calls in sick with a severe headache. He says he’s afraid it’s related to whatever he was breathing on the job site, and he’s going to see a doctor “to get it checked out.”
The following morning, safety inspectors from OSHA and the EPA show up to investigate. They want to see the Health and Safety Plan. They want to…
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Waterborne Pathogens
Legionella & Legionnaires’ Disease – Frequently Asked Questions
Legionella & Legionnaires’ Disease are environmental health issues that FACS experts often receive questions about. Given that Legionella was discovered less than 50 years ago and is a relatively “young” subject among environmental health issues, there are lots of questions to be asked.
On March 5th, 2019, FACS’ Legionella Expert Megan Canright, MPH, CIH, partnered with the TASA Group to host a webinar on the introduction to Legionella. While TASA’s audience is primarily attorneys, this webinar covered many of the basic principles around Legionella and provided information useful to many.
FACS received many questions about Legionella & Legionnaires’…
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Construction/General Contractor, Hazardous Building Materials
5 Essential Benefits of the Pre-Project Hazardous Materials Inspection and Survey
Here’s a scenario we see happen far too often:
A frantic client calls FACS. The work plan for a restoration project didn’t mention hazardous materials, but the crew found asbestos contamination.
Work cannot continue without clearance by a certified hazardous materials consultant, and for the client … each hour of delay means money lost.
Now what?
When hazards are unexpectedly found post-contract, the work schedule gets thrown off, expenses mount, and failure to properly address the danger may even result in legal action.
The party who wins most from the situation is the contractor, who can justifiably charge a premium…
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Construction/General Contractor, Hazardous Building Materials
PCB Assessments Required for Building Demolitions: Important Changes to Note
Beginning July 1, 2019, property owners, demolition contractors, real estate developers, and anyone planning to demolish a structure built or remodeled between January 1, 1950 and December 31, 1980 in the San Francisco Bay Area will face stringent new permit requirements aimed at reducing the amount of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) entering San Francisco Bay.
These new regulations affect demolition activities involving structures built during that period (excepting wood frame buildings and single-family residential homes) in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties, as well as the cities of Vallejo, Fairfield, and Suisun City.
In this article, we’ll describe…
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Construction/General Contractor, General Industrial Hygiene, Hazardous Building Materials, Healthcare, Hospitality, Property Management
When Is an Asbestos Survey Required?
You could save yourself hundreds of thousands of dollars by getting this right.
True or False:
The U.S. completely banned the use of asbestos in building materials in 1989. That means any commercial building constructed in 1990 or later poses no asbestos risk. Consequently, you don’t need to worry about getting an asbestos survey prior to renovation or restoration projects on buildings erected in the past 30 years – right? False.
The “asbestos is no longer used” myth potentially exposes commercial property owners to fines of $25,000 per day when they unwittingly disturb materials containing asbestos. Falling for the lie…
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The U.S. completely banned the use of asbestos in building materials in 1989. That means any commercial building constructed in 1990 or later poses no asbestos risk. Consequently, you don’t need to worry about getting an asbestos survey prior to renovation or restoration projects on buildings erected in the past 30 years – right? False.
The “asbestos is no longer used” myth potentially exposes commercial property owners to fines of $25,000 per day when they unwittingly disturb materials containing asbestos. Falling for the lie…
Environmental Health & Safety Management, Property Management
7 Steps to a Mold and Moisture Plan for Property Management
Property managers are paid to keep occupants happy and facilities on track. Throw in a recurrent “black mold” problem, water damage from a leaking pipe, or a full-blown flood and mold growth emergency … and the property manager’s job can seem overwhelming.
That’s why strategic planning is crucial. With a properly thought-out plan in place, a mold and moisture crisis can become considerably less stressful. You’re prepared with a logical sequence of predetermined actions that help you deal with the situation calmly and effectively.
The simple seven-step plan outlined below can also minimize the loss of revenue from facilities downtime,…
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Structure Fire, Wildfire
Fire Legal Liability: Who Is Responsible When Business Structures Are Involved?
Fire legal liability is an issue companies and organizations often try to avoid facing head on. We hope you don’t follow that lead.
The truth about fire legal liability can be a tough pill to swallow.
Here’s the truth: Your business is at risk of fire liability litigation – even if you didn’t start the fire.
Let’s look at why that is and what you can do to protect your company’s reputation and assets against one of nature’s scariest events: fire. How You Can Be Held Liable for a Fire You Didn’t Start We all know a company that starts …
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The truth about fire legal liability can be a tough pill to swallow.
Here’s the truth: Your business is at risk of fire liability litigation – even if you didn’t start the fire.
Let’s look at why that is and what you can do to protect your company’s reputation and assets against one of nature’s scariest events: fire. How You Can Be Held Liable for a Fire You Didn’t Start We all know a company that starts …
Environmental Health & Safety Management
How to Avoid a Cal/OSHA IIPP Violation
California employees enjoy rights and protections not available to workers in other states. A U.S. News and World Report study placed California in the lead for the title of “Best State for Worker Rights.”
That’s the good news.
California employers know that great achievements do not come cheaply, however. They are subject to some of the toughest labor laws in the nation. Companies that fail to follow those mandates are vulnerable to stiff fines, increased fees related to workers’ compensation, and cash-draining legal entanglements.
The California Division of Occupational Safety (Cal/OSHA) enforces the standards that protect workers in the state.…
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Waterborne Pathogens
Legionnaires’ Disease Prevention and Control
A brief account of the first Legionnaires’ disease crisis:
On July 27th, three days after returning home from the 1976 American Legion convention in Philadelphia, Ray Brennan died of what appeared to be a heart attack. Within days, four other Legionnaires had passed away. By August 9th, the death count was at 27.1
Three of those who died were patients of Dr. Ernest Campbell. He noted a common thread – all were Legionnaires who had attended the state convention – and notified the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Investigators first suspected “swine flu,” a recently identified type of influenza. Plans…
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Structure Fire
The Dangers of Structure Fires
Structure fire (fire involving the structural components of a building) can be a devastating and catastrophic life event. Fire events can range from minor smoke events (e.g., burning food) to complete burning and destruction of a property. Following a fire event, property owners, insurance companies and neighboring residents are generally looking for answers to questions such as: What is damaged? Is it safe to return to my home? Are my belongings salvageable? In instances where physical damage (e.g., burned materials) is not observed, answering these questions may be difficult.
What is the Smoke Composed of?
A structure fire can create…
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Hospitality
Hospitality Exposure: Synthetic Opioid Production and Use
The production of Methamphetamines and the processing of Opioids are becoming more and more prevalent in the Hospitality industry. Easy access, privacy and the ability to manufacture or package drugs quickly, has lead to increased exposure to toxic chemicals for hotel workers and guests.
The purpose of this article is to review the impact of the opioid crisis, specifically synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and its analogues on the environmental health and safety of facilities in the hospitality industry, and how to appropriately manage them.
Synthetic Opioids & Their Potency
Synthetic opioids, such as non-pharmaceutical fentanyl, are extremely potent compared…
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General Industrial Hygiene
Tomorrowland: 5 Global Megatrends & How they’re Shaping the Future of Environmental Health
History has shown that predicting the headline grabbing environmental health issues of tomorrow can be difficult. However, we can glean insights into some of the challenges likely to emerge by looking at large scale trends impacting people and businesses around the globe. Anticipating these challenges can help risk managers, business owners and environmental professionals begin to prepare for what is coming down the road.
Peering into this crystal ball and mapping a pathway forward has been the central focus of the American Industrial Hygiene Association’s “Content Portfolio Advisory Group”. FACS has had the honor of being able to participate…
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