Indoor Air Quality

A health indoor environment is essential to everyone. Many schools, residential dwellings, commercial building, and industrial facilities are faced with the problem of indoor air contaminants. In many cases, HVAC design, mold and bacteria, or excessive emissions such as Environmental Tobacco Smoke, Volatile Organic Compounds, Ozone, Formaldehyde, and Radon, and mineral fibers such as fiberglass, lead and asbestos lead to complaints of headaches, nausea, and general respiratory tract irritation, leading to a decreased productivity in work environments, and . Building Related Symptoms have recently received much media attention, and has been brought to the forefront of workplace safety concerns.

SEA’s personnel are board certified through the Indoor Air Quality Association. Certified Mold Remediator’s (CMR) conduct all microbial abatement and micro cleaning services. Furthermore, Derek Jennings, SEA President and Founder, is one of a few Certified Indoor Environmentalist (CIE) in the state.
SEA’s IAQ site assessments include:

• Inspection of the structure inside and out with emphasis on ventilation system, building layout, and structures condition

• Thorough inspection and evaluation of ventilation systems, and air flow patterns

• Employee interviews and review of health records

• Inspections for hazardous chemical usage and storage

• Air sampling for biological-aerosols, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and other irritants and pollutants

• Evaluation of the moisture content of building materials and HVAC system throughout the building

• Wipe samples for mold and bacteria

• Collection of dust samples

Based on the findings of our investigation, SEA will recommend corrective actions, if necessary, as well as assist your organization in achieving environmental conditions that will provide optimum health and comfort for your employees. If a potentially serious indoor air quality problem is documented, SEA can provide the following services:

• Write specifications for, and oversee implementation of, required corrective actions.

• Expert witness testimony during litigation.

Biological Contamination
A healthy indoor environment is important to you and your family. Biological contaminants include bacteria, molds, mildew, viruses, dust mites, pollen, spores, animal dander, cat saliva and cock roach dander.

By controlling the relative humidity level in a building, the growth of some sources of biologicals can be minimized. First identify and correct moisture problems. A relative humidity level of 30-50 percent is generally recommended for buildings. Water damaged materials, wet surfaces or standing water serve as breeding grounds for molds, mildews, bacteria and insects. Dust mites, the source of one of the most powerful biological allergens, grow in damp, warm environments; they eat human and pet skin (dander) as it is shed. Dust mites live in rugs, carpets sheets, mattresses, pillows and upholstered furniture. Up to 15% of people are allergic to dust mites. Mold and mildew originate from spores, which exist in the air around you. As spores settle with the right condition they form colonies, if enough colonies form they are visible to the eye. These colonies release spores and toxic chemicals called mycotoxins into the air. These biological contaminants can cause severe health problems and possible death. By controlling these contaminants you can reduce the likelihood of sick building syndrome and the health effects associated with it.

Air conditioning equipment, humidifier reservoirs, dehumidifier drip pans, toilets, ice machines, showerheads, traps, water damaged building materials and crawl spaces are some common breeding grounds for bacteria and fungus. By reducing the water infiltration and humidity in buildings indoor environmental quality can improve your health and reduce sick time, production and overall attitude. Relative humidity is the amount of moisture in the air at a given temperature. Humidity fluctuates in your home, depending on how warm or cool the air is indoors, how many moisture producing activities i.e.: drying clothes, humidifiers, showers are taking place, whether there are constant source of water intrusions i.e. roof leaks, crawl space standing water, foundation leaks and floods.

By maintaining relative humidity below 50%, you reduce problems with dust mites, mold, bacteria and mildew. Never humidify indoor air relative humidity level higher than 50 percent. A steam vaporizer or warm mist humidifier are less likely to cause problems if maintained properly. If you find visible mold or mildew first identify and eliminate the water intrusion. Ensure bathrooms are vented outside. Remove debris from rain gutters and drain pipes. Clean mold and mildew with 3 parts chlorine bleach and 1 part water solution. Extremely moldy materials need to be disposed. Change filters on a regular scheduled program. Inspect the heating and cooling system ductwork for dirt, signs of mold and mildew, loose insulation, leaks and signs of condensation.

IH Support
Eagle Industrial Hygiene Support stands unmatched in its ability to offer innovative, cost-effective solutions for industrial hygiene problems. Our experienced staff, which takes your organization step-by-step through the consulting process, works with your special problems and provides awareness training to all affected employees who work directly with workspace hazards.
Our consulting services are tailored to fit the individual needs of your organization. We can provide the guidance for your plant safety or engineering personnel so that they can handle problems in-house. When this is not possible, our staff of confident professionals collects all necessary samples, evaluates the data, and assists in finding and implementing solutions.

The following is a partial list of services we provide:

• Personnel Monitoring

• Sound Level Surveys

• Hazardous Materials Evaluation

• Hearing Conservation Programs

• Indoor Air Quality

• Respiratory Protection Programs

• Carbon Monoxide Monitoring

• Medical Surveillance Programs

• Right-To-Know Surveys

• Paint Shop Evaluation

• Pesticides

• Lead Evaluations

• Solvent Sampling

• Hazardous Materials Disposal Coordination

• Metals Welding

• Toxic Chemical Monitoring

• Radioactive Surveys

• Water Sampling

• Hazardous Waste Services

• Lab Packing Chemical Wastes

• Toxic Tort, Expert Witness

• Environmental Engineering and Design