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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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Community Giving Programs
Community Giving Programs
Supporting ‘cycle of giving’ helps us achieve high employee and client satisfaction
At FACS, we wholeheartedly believe in the importance of community giving. So much so, that we’ve made it part of the company’s character from the outset.
As a company whose business is helping to protect public health, we’ve always put people first, and many of our operating principles are founded in the values of giving back to the community. And while most businesses can talk about their commitment to their communities, I think FACS’ commitment goes further than most. In my experience, an important ingredient of employee satisfaction…
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Structure Fire, Wildfire
Wildfire Smoke and its Impact on Your Home
Massive wildfires continue to devastate the west coast and are expected to increase as we enter fire season. These wildfires cause millions of dollars in damage, neighborhood displacement, and emotional distress for property owners and occupants. In the wake of this destruction, many property owners, insurance companies, and neighboring residents are looking for answers. Has my home been impacted? What needs to be cleaned? Is it safe for me to clean it myself?…
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Incident Response
FACS Incident Response Management
With FIRM, eliminate stress & waste from unplanned incidents.
It is hard to react quickly and efficiently when problems arise. There are so many things to coordinate and stakeholders want their spaces cleaned up and operational as quickly as possible. The pressure mounts as impacts from the damage may not be fully understood and the response action evolves.…
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Healthcare
CMS, ASHRAE 188 and my hospital: What are the next steps?
Developing a designated water management program team is job no. 1
With the nationwide incidence of Legionella on a steady rise since 2000, ASHRAE has published ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 188-2015 for reducing the risk of bacterial growth in facilities’ water systems.
Legionella, the cause of Legionnaires’ Disease (LD), an often deadly type of pneumonia (as well as Pontiac Fever), most often affects those in certain risk groups: persons who are over age 50, are smokers, or who have underlying medical conditions such as chronic lung disease or suppressed immune systems.
Outbreaks of Legionnaires’ Disease occur when the respiratory system is infected…
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Healthcare
5 Ways to Achieve Better Outcomes When a Family Member is Hospitalized
There are few things more stressful for you, or a friend or loved one, than to be admitted to a hospital. From when we’re very young, these cold, sprawling buildings carry the stigma of being a scary place where even scarier things happen – and it’s not easy to shake these feelings, even as adults.
Today, there’s a new reason for the “fear factor”: Changes in healthcare, skyrocketing hospitalization costs, a feeling of isolation from doctors and nurses – and yes, even an enhanced awareness of hospital-acquired infections – all conspire to send anxiety and stress levels soaring.
Yet, the…
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Incident Response
Are you really ready for the unexpected?
When you have a loss over your deductible, your insurance carrier will typically take over and provide you with expert incident management teams; consultants, and remediation and construction professionals. This gives you the power of their relationships/pricing models and very few of the headaches.
What happens if your losses are below your deductible or is one that you would prefer to fix outside of your insurance provider relationships? They happen more frequently and are typically more difficult to manage. They can drain you of time, money and resources.
There is an answer. Forensic Analytical Consulting Services Incident Response Management solution…
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Wildfire
Wildfire Smoke Awareness
Brush and Forest Fires
This is a difficult time for many in the Southwest United States as we witness the devastation and damage of the raging wildfires. At Forensic Analytical Consulting Services (FACS), our passion is protecting the health of people, families, communities and the environment through assessment, education and prevention. As such, we hope you find the following information and resources beneficial.
Wildfire Pollutants and Health Effects
Smoke is made up of a complex mixture of gases, vapors and fine particles (i.e., soot) produced when wood and other organic matter burn. Among the substances found are gases from partially…
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