EIGHTEEN GUEST SPEAKERS Two of the United States foremost experts on Stachybotrys Mold
Mr. Chris D' Andrea of The New York City Health Department will be one of the Guest
Speakers at a Mold and Environmental Conference in Markham, Ontario on Thursday OCTOBER
18, 2001.
Attending
this Stachybotrys Toxic Fungi-Mold and Environmental Conference is special guest speaker
Mr.Chris D'Andrea of The New York City Health Department, Environmental and Occupational
Disease Epidemiology Unit.
Mr. D'Andrea is
part the Committee that developed the the New York City "Guidelines on Assessment and
Remediation of Fungi/Mold in Indoor Environments, The Stachybotrys Chartarum
Protocol" that has been widely adopted by environmental engineering consultants and
professionals across North America.
Also speaking
will be Fourteen Environmental Experts from Ontario's Environmental abatement Industry
speaking on a number of serious issues Fungi & Mold Should Ontario adopt the New York
City Protocol Assessment and Remediation Stachybotrys Chartarum-Toxic Mold Removal
Protocol or Develop New Regulations for Ontario? Lead Abatement And Lead Paint Removal,
Infection Control In Health Care Facilties & Hospitals, Construction Health &
Safety New Regulation, The Ministry Of Labour Current Issues And Update, Insurance
Environmental & Pollution and Guaranteed Performance Bonding Facilities.
GUEST
SPEAKERS· JOE BOWEN--MASTER of CEREMONIES
Christopher
D' Andrea; New York City Health Department
Dru
Sahai; Construction Safety Association of Ontario
Evelyn
Stepov; Ontario Ministry of Labour
Dr.
Don Pinchin; Pinchin Environmental Consultants
Andreas
Wagner; T. Harris Environmental Consultants
Bruce
Stewart; Pinchin Environmental Consultants
Karl
Choltus; Marsh Ltd. (Insurance Brokers)
Kyle
Prosser; Paradigm Inc.
Glenn
Smith; T. Harris Environmental Consultants
Bob
Lovegrove; Air, Earth & Water Environmental Cons.
Allin
Brady; Health & Safety Officer - REC
Todd
Jefferies; Ontario Environmental Safety Network
Paul
Greenan & Larry Heath; C.P.R. Greenan & Associates
DON BREMNER RESTORATION
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTRACTORS
SPONSORED BY
RESTORATION
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTRACTORS
Contact Mr.
Don Bremner
Tel
1-800-894-4924 or (905) 888-0066 Fax 905-888-0071
P.O. Box 746
10 Stalwart Industrial Drive Unit 5,
Gormley (Markham), Ontario
Canada L0H 1G0
E-Mail restcon@inforamp.net
Web Site
www.environmentalhazards.com
1-800-894-4924
MISHANDLING
of HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Limit
Corporate Liabilities and Exposures
We are the
Experts in Demolition and Environmental Abatement including Removal of All Hazardous
Materials, Asbestos, Lead Paint, PCB's and Mold successfully completing over 6,000
projects from Commercial, Institutional, Industrial and Manufacturing Plants for the DND,
Computer, Pharmaceutical, Food, Automotive and the Steel Industry. We specialize in the
removal and management Asbestos, Lead Paint and Lead Dust and Heavy Metals Dust from
Industrial and Manufacturing Facilities.
Removal and
Abatement of PCB s, Mold & Fungus, Infection Control in Health Facilities and
Hospitals, Bird, Bat, Animal Feces, Dust Collectors and Bag Houses, Chemicals, Perchloric
Acid, Soil Remediation and Removal of leaking Underground Storage Tanks. Turn-Key
Environmental Solutions from the initial Site Audits and Assessment to the Environmental
Remediation and Demolition to the Design Build of your new facility.
Our affiliated
company, Abcott Construction Ltd. was established in 1972, is a high quality Design Build
General Contractor. Abcott is a Butler Buildings Dealer of Pre-engineered Steel Buildings.
Don Bremner
1-800-894-4924
Asbestos, Lead
Paint, Lead & Heavy Metals Dust (All Contaminated Dusts), Mold & Fungus,
Infectious Diseases, Water/Food - Bacteria (E Coli), PCB's, Chemicals, Pesticides &
Herbicides, Toxic Materials and Fires.
ARTICLE
MISHANDLING
of HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Limit
Corporate Liabilities and Exposures
Everyday in
Canada and the United States Hazardous Materials are being removed improperly
contaminating the buildings we occupy. The hazardous materials including asbestos, lead
paint, heavy metals, mold and fungus, PCB s including infection disease control are
ignored, removed improperly, overlooked or are disregarded by unscrupulous building
owners, corporate executives, their representatives, building and property managers
because of limited budgets, lack of knowledge, greed or contempt for worker or public
health and safety.
The potential
high Costs of Litigation and possible prosecution of building owner s, (Corporate
Executives, Building Owners, Plant & Maintenance Managers, Property Managers,
Architects and Consulting Engineers or their representatives) should be enough of a
deterrent but is not. Potentially those owners or their representatives that do not assess
the high risk of possible hazards materials prior to building or facility renovation or
demolition projects can lead to personal and corporate exposure and liability.
In most cases,
General Liability Insurance and Errors and Omissions Insurance policies DO NOT cover
Pollution and Environmental Hazards. Most General Contractors rarely carry any
environmental and pollution coverage.
Notwithstanding,
the high litigation costs, also prosecution under the Occupational Health & Safety Act
for mishandling Hazardous Materials is becoming a major problem in Canada. Although, it is
nowhere as frequent or as costly as it is the United States.
ASBESTOS CASE
Improper Asbestos Removal done at over 200 Buildings!
An asbestos
removal contractor, 12 individuals from two companies arrested and charged pleaded guilty
to charges of mail fraud, to violations of federal clean air standards for removing,
transporting and disposing of asbestos over 10 years, in Albany, New York.
In addition,
Joseph Thorn of Renssellaer, the owner of A+ Environmental Services, was arrested and
charged with money laundering in connection with supervising illegal abatement projects at
more than 130 sites. He faces a possible 65 Year prison sentence and up to a $ 6 Million
Dollar fine. He was released on $ 25,000.00 bail.
The U.S. Attorney
Daniel French stated; "The breadth of the criminal violations are shocking. The
willingness of these defendants to place workers, children and the public at risk is
unconscionable. They are criminal, they were driven by greed, their behavior was
reprehensible."
Improper asbestos
removal at more than 200 buildings, in upstate New York, workers were untrained, falsified
air-quality tests and neglected to file proper paperwork to alert health authorities, the
U.S. Attorney's Office announced after a widespread probe into the industry another
several hundred buildings could be affected including many schools, fire stations, public
buildings homes, state office complexes and private homes. No publication of the buildings
would be announced publicly until all building owners were notified.
Although in the
United States, prosecution under the EPA/Occupational Health & Safety Act for
mishandling Hazardous Materials is becoming more prevalent. In Canada, you have a better
chance of being hit by lightning.
CLASS ACTION
LITIGATION TOXIC MOLD
MOLD On July 2,
1999 an announcement of a class action lawsuit for exposing children to Toxic Mold by
parents against a local School Board outside the Toronto area is seeking damages for up to
$ 1 Billion Dollars.
ASBESTOS CASE IN
CANADA However, as recent as September 21, 1999, a Calgary Steel Company Executive has
been ordered arrested and a Canada wide warrant for his arrest has been issued, for unsafe
handling of Asbestos.
TOUGHER
LEGISLATION FINES and LICENSING
We require
tougher federal and State/Provincial government legislation, licensing and more
enforcement officers in the field with the authority to impose tougher fines and charges.
Today, the fines to unscrupulous owners, contractors and consultants are minimal and
catching them is even harder.
INADEQUATE and
OUTDATED LEGISLATION IN CANADA ENFORCEMENT DIFFICULT
In Canada, there
is inadequate current legislation or it is totally outdated on hazardous materials that
cause serious health problems such as mold, asbestos and lead paint just to mention a few!
In the United
States, they have the legislation, but obviously the problem is catching the offenders.
Due to a lack of
government legislation and enforcement this practice of Mishandling Hazardous Materials
continues on an almost daily basis across Canada and the United States.
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
The public or
personal exposure to Hazardous Materials such as Asbestos, Lead Paint, Lead & Heavy
Metals Dust, Pharmaceutical & Medical Waste, PCB s, MTBE in drinking water because of
gasoline from leaking Underground Storage Tanks, Toxic Mold and Fungus, and environmental
contamination as a result of fires in industrial and manufacturing facilities, where many
different hazardous materials and toxic chemicals mix and burn. All these Toxic and
Hazardous Materials could result in serious short and long-term health problems.
The threat of
prosecution, fines, costs of Litigation to Corporate Executives, Building Owners, Plant
& Maintenance Managers, Property Managers, Architects, Consulting Engineers and
contractors or their representatives, that do not assess the high risk of possible
Hazards, can lead to personal and corporate exposure and liability should be there, but
the fines are small usually and only if they are caught and prosecuted!
Pro-Active
Procedures By following some very simple proactive procedures, you can limit your exposure
as an owner, a corporate executive, a property manager, an Architect and or Engineer. In
buildings constructed before 1985, recognize that hazardous materials including Asbestos,
Lead, Mold & Fungus, Underground Storage Tanks and PCB's exist in many residential,
commercial, industrial and institutional structures as common building and insulating
materials.
Pro-Active
Environmental Investigations Prior to building retrofits or demolition, environmental
investigations can prevent any work delays, Ministry of Labor Stop Work Orders, can
promote worker health & safety and can prevent potential professional exposure and
liabilities for architects, consulting engineers and building owners.
Identify
Hazardous Materials Architects and Consulting Engineers are licensed and responsible
professionals; therefore you must be aware of and identify the presence or absence of
these materials when dealing with building retrofits. Failure to advise your client(s) or
the contractors working on a project of the presence of hazardous materials in and /or on
a property may present you with potential future liabilities and a costly litigation
process, where you are not covered by insurance. In some cases the Federal and Provincial
regulations and legislation is not up to current accepted industry standards.
It is your
obligation to protect the interests of your clients(s), the contractors, the health &
safety of workers, the building occupants and the natural environment.
Pre-Qualified
Environmental Contractors You can eliminate your exposure and liability by completing all
the environmental investigations prior to the tendering process. In tendering
specifications include these findings, with an Environmental Scope of Work and Remedial
Action for all Hazardous Wastes and stipulating in the use of approved pre-qualified
environmental professionals during the project.
Proper
Pre-Qualification Documents or CCA-11 Pre-Qualification using the Canadian Construction
Document "Canadian Standard Form of Contractors Qualification Statement CCA- Document
# 11- Includes current and past references, performance bond facilities, bank and
financial information accompanied by the verification of proper Environmental and
Pollution Insurance Coverage. CHECK REFERENCES!
Pre-Qualified
Independent Environmental Consultants are available to perform assessments for hazardous
materials and other potential environmental concerns on residential, commercial, and
industrial properties. Each assessment includes sampling of all suspected hazardous
materials, confirmatory laboratory analysis and complete reporting of all findings. They
can also complete specifications and tender packages for any required remedial activities
and perform project management services.
Buildings
constructed prior to 1985 may contain hazardous materials such as asbestos, lead, mould
and fungus, PCB s and may also contain Urea Formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI). Older
buildings, which were previously heated with oil, may have underground storage tanks (UST
s) remaining on the property. These are common occurrences to which all architects and
Consulting Engineers should be aware and ensure all building owners and contractors are
informed prior to the start of any retrofit project. Hazardous materials represent
potential serious health hazards for contractors, costly environmental hazards for
building owners and potential liabilities to architects and engineers.
Asbestos may be
found in many forms both inside and outside a building. Inside asbestos may take the form
of paper or hard block insulation on hot water piping, heating ducts or as molded pipe
fitting insulation and joint compounds on furnaces. Asbestos may also be found in floor
tiles, sheet flooring, ceiling tiles and acoustical (stucco) finishes or as wall and attic
insulating materials. Exterior uses for asbestos may include shingles or siding materials
and asbestos cement pipes. Asbestos is a potential health hazard if damaged and disturbed
through renovation or demolition activities. Potential future liabilities for both the
property owner and the architect are also attached to the presence of asbestos.
Heavy Metals,
Lead Dust and Lead Paint can be found in interior and exterior paints or in plumbing as
lead pipes or lead solder on copper pipes. Lead Dust or Heavy Metal Dusts (Cadmium,
Arsenic, Mercury, Chromium) etc. in dust by-products from manufacturing, can be found on
rafters, walls, floors, ceilings, ledges, in Heating and Air Ducts or Structural Beams of
many industrial and manufacturing facilities. The presence or absence of lead in a
building may have many implications.
The value of a
Building or property may be greatly reduced due to the presence of lead. Dangers
associated with lead dust from renovation and demolition activities in older buildings and
the high costs for lead cleanup or removal by recognized trained professionals must be
realized and passed on to your clients. Lead is now being placed in the same group as
asbestos and urea formaldehyde with regards to reducing the value of a property. Lead,
once identified, becomes a health hazard to contractors and a potential future liability
for property owners and the architect and consulting engineer, responsible for the
project.
Heavy metals are
wide spread in the environment. Their compounds cause problems due to the production and
the distribution by humans. In the recent years environmental investigations focused on
toxic heavy metals (and their compounds) like lead, cadmium, arsenic or mercury in soils,
sediments and water. High concentrations of heavy metals have been found in consumer goods
like food, fabrics, drinking water and industrial building environments.
PCB s are found
in heat transfer oils in transformers and switches and in fluorescent light fixtures as a
component in ballast s. PCB containing ballast s are very common and are found in fixtures
produced prior to 1980. PCB s are well known in carcinogen and as such must be treated
with care. Such ballast s cannot be simply thrown in the garbage but must be handled and
disposed of properly by qualified professional contractors. Larger pieces of equipment
containing PCB oils must also be identified and handled appropriately. Once again, the
presence of PCB s may have an effect on the value of a property due to costs associated
with removal, disposal and replacement of light fixtures, transformers and other such
equipment. Current regulations require strict handling and disposal practices. This also
becomes a potential liability for property owners and architects.
Mold and Fungus
Micro-Biological A specific Fungi, Stachybotrys Chartarum, has been identified as a
potential source of health related concerns in all commercial buildings and schools,
identified in, but not limited to, portable classroom buildings. Stachybotrys chartarum is
a potent mycotoxin, which renders indoor environments unacceptable for human occupancy.
This mycotoxin has been in the press consistently found in school portables, in ceilings,
walls, basements and cool damp areas. All building could potentially contain mold &
fungus. Where ever water damage may have occurred, around pipes and fittings, wet pipe
insulation, in crawl spaces and water closets. This is an issue where properly trained
personnel should only handle and remove mould and fungus.
Urea Formaldehyde
foam insulation (UFFI) was used in the early 1980 s in many residential and commercial
buildings as a subsequent or main insulating material in walls and ceiling spaces. Liquid
foam was sprayed into an area to be insulated where it expanded to completely fill the
space and hardened. Unfortunately it was found that this type of foam insulation emitted
toxic formaldehyde fumes causing serious respiratory health effects. Subsequently many
homes and commercial buildings had the foam removed by qualified contractors.
However, many
structures still have the UFFI material in place. Presently there is a disclosure clause
in every real estate agreement concerning UFFI. In many instances, however, building
owners are unaware that their building contains UFFI passed on by former owners.
Identification of UFFI can avoid potential health & safety issues for the contractor
and liabilities for the owner and architect.
Underground
Storage Tanks Furnaces that are presently fuelled, or were fuelled in the past, by oil
require an oil storage tank. These tanks were generally located above ground, in basement
areas, or were buried outside near foundation walls.
If tanks are
present there is potential for leakage from the tanks themselves or from associated
piping. Buried tanks were used largely in industrial or commercial buildings. However,
many larger residential buildings also used underground storage tanks for oil storage. Any
buried fuel oil tanks not in use are required to be removed by law. These tanks may pose
potentially large and costly environmental problems and represent a large potential
liability for owners and architects.
Infection Control
in Health facilities briefly during construction each area under construction must be
isolated. The construction work areas must be isolated from the occupied areas in the
Hospital. A very intricate plan to build the necessary isolation and transfer chambers or
sealed containment structures, using approved caulking and sealants, a step by step
procedure of installation of upper seals and barriers, using high volumes of HEPA Negative
Air Filtration Units, HEPA Vacuums and effectively isolating the construction areas.
Therefore
preventing any contamination from one area to another during construction or renovation.
We have a specification for infection control of over 60 pages of correct methods of
procedures. Hospital personnel should identify all the Infectious Diseases and make sure
all construction personnel have the necessary vaccinations including tetanus, influenza,
hepatitis A, B, C
Pro-Active
Environmental Assessments and Audits
In closing being
pro-active when it comes to recognizing Hazardous Materials are in buildings built before
1985 and establishing a plan of action can save you time and money. By establishing a
consistent protocol, of site and building assessment/audit, identification, following
proper remedial action with a defined scope of work and hiring the best qualified
consultant and contractor, will protect you and your clients in the future.
Don Bremner is
Vice President of Operations (416) 717-0541
Restoration Environmental Contractors Ltd.
Abcott Construction Ltd.
Telephone 1-800-894-4924
|