Episode 233

Well Rounded, Down Under

Today’s interview with IAQ researcher Brad Prezant MSPH, CIH, CPE got off to a  very rough start. Most IAQradio listeners don’t know that on the average Friday, Radio Joe and Val Bender, spend 2 hours commuting 93 one way miles from their homes to the radio studio to do the IAQradio show. Today, during their trek they encountered heavy additional traffic due to road construction, and their commute took much longer. I’m a low tech guy who was delegated the task of trying to start the show with remote cell phone guidance from Val who was driving separately from Joe and also stuck in traffic. Joe and I both feared that our guest who was calling in from Australia, wouldn’t be able to call in and that we would be unable to communicate the fact that we were encountering technical difficulties to him. With me at the controls, an assist from my coworker Steve O the show got off to a rough start. When Joe and Val finally arrived, she needed to restart. During our broadcast we lost Internet connections multiple time. The phone connection with our guest also failed multiple occasions. Val had insufficient time to download the guest’s intro music that I selected. We forgot to break for the trivia question. We did complete the show. Fortunately, we record the show and with Val’s audio editing skills, I’m confident that the final product that the majority of you subsequently download and listen to will be fine.

Brad Prezant, who hails from the Pacific Northwest, now lives and works in New Zealand. Brad is a widely respected authority on IAQ issues has experience as both an IAQ investigator and collegiate professor.

Nuggets mined from today’s show:

·        Running a business is satisfying due to having more control. In your own biz you have the opportunity to shape the company, establish company culture and style.

·        Loser pays legal system in New Zealand results in less frivolous lawsuits.

·        While fear of IAQ related litigation is prevalent in the US, it is much less prevalent in NZ

·        In the past, IEPs were typically interested in only one environmental factor, now they must be interested in all of them.

·        Particulate begins to accumulate in buildings during construction and over time continually gets worse.

·        LEED Green Buildings are interested and focused on easy-to-measure parameters. LEED over emphasizes VOCs and while underestimating the role of particulate.

·        The intense Initial focus on Stachybotrys distracted attention away from the real problem, moisture.

·        Evaluate the efficacy of the cleaning, not the organisms and microbial ecology. The statement that its about the cleaning not the microorganisms, fondly reminded me of a comment made by the late Jim Darling who summarized mold training for English as second language workers down to just 4 words: Mold Bad-Clean Good.

·        IAQ down under. Similarities of exposure to North America. Construction differences-predominately wood frame construction, fewer basements, absence of central heating, reliance electric space heaters and use of large windows facing windows for solar heat. Insulation is uncommon even in high-end housing stock. Infiltration is a significant problem.  NZ has among the highest rates of asthma. “Leaky home situation” is prevalent in NZ.

·        Sick buildings of the 1980’s.  Contributing factors: psychological component + tedious-repetitive work + workers having little control+ less than optimal ventilation+ moisture issues+ limited occupant coping skills = complaints about IAQ. Workplace ergonomics: work stations, lights blinking at 60 hertz, color spectrum of lighting, glare, lighting intensity also play a role. Peter Sandman, theory Risk + Hazard = Outrage.

·        Dieterism- the aerodynamic diameter of particulate, both size and density matter. Latin quotation. Mens sana in corpora sano (a sound mind in a healthy body)

·         There are 2 types of asthma: allergic asthma and non-allergic asthma.

We found Brad Prezant to be amongst the most knowledgeable and well rounded guests we have ever interviewed.

Today’s Music: Little Green Book by the Woovs

Episode 232

Conventions and incarceration

The first half of today’s broadcast was devoted to overviews of upcoming conventions. Elliot Horner, PhD provided an overview of the upcoming IAQA convention in Las Vegas which he helped organize.  HVAC cleaning contractor Ron Kratz and association executive John Shulte provided an overview of the upcoming NADCA Convention in Puerto Rico.

The second half of the show was focused on updating IAQradio listeners on Sharon Noonan Kramer’s ongoing efforts to validate that moldy buildings are responsible for more than respiratory illness.  Sharon Kramer is a researcher, industry advocate and whistleblower who alleges that a scientific fraud that “moldy buildings do no harm” has marketed its way into US public health policy; thereby allowing the dismissal of injured parties’ insurance claims.

Sharon has been published in medical journals, such as the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health and has given numerous interviews on the subject of moldy buildings and human health. She was also involved in causing a federal audit of the mold issue, that is helping to reshape policy on a federal level.

Sharon claims she has faced and is facing corruption in the California judicial system at the highest levels that works to keep the fraud going in the private sector health policy on behalf of the affiliates of the US Chamber of Commerce. In February, Sharon will serve a five day jail sentence for contempt of court for having uttered the 5 words “altered his under oath statements” in regard to her claims of inconsistencies in the court testimonies of toxicologist Bruce Kelman, PhD. and for her inability to be able to have the 5 words “altered his under oath statements” removed from web sites over which she has no control.

Relentless, tenacious, determined are adjectives that both those who agree or disagree with Sharon use to describe her passion.

Sharon has helped many. Will those whom Sharon has helped and those who sympathize with her loudly and publically rally around her and draw media attention to her story or will they abandon her and allow her to serve her jail obscurity?

Today’s music: “Stand My Ground” by Within Temptation

Z-Man Signing Off

Episode 231

Where IAQ Meets Building Science with David Bearg, PE

David Bearg, PE, through his Life Energy Associates, provides indoor air quality diagnostic and mitigation services, especially with regard to maximizing the healthfulness of indoor environments at the lowest energy costs. David is a pioneer in the use of some very high-tech equipment for building investigation. David practices what he preaches, check out his home at www.sagefarm.net.

Nuggets mined from today’s show:

·        Opined that 80% by building occupants about IAQ is an insufficient percentage, we should work to do better.

·        Ventilation dilutes and removes air contaminates.

·        Building interiors are designed to maintain uniform temperature. As such they don’t isolate and contain particulate. Expressed concern over mutating viruses attached to particulate circulating within buildings. 

·        We must understand the building’s air distribution system.

·        Investigators should listen to people who have concerns, review the symptomatology, consider the air distribution system and then create a hypothesis.

·        Carpets touted to filter air. If carpets filter air, why aren’t carpets found in clean rooms?

·        Investigative methodology is to by using sulfur hexafluoride a substance absent from normal environments and a portable GC Mass Spec electron capture detector, trace the pathway between complaints and potential sources. 

·        Recommended investigative tool- the Dragon Puffer is a valuable tool for IAQ investigation.

·        HVAC cleaning- by monitoring particulate emissions at HVAC diffusers objective decisions regarding the need for and efficacy of HVAC system cleaning can be made.

·        People are pollutants- If you want a clean environment, you need to do something about the people. People are the number 1 source of particulates in clean rooms from their shedding skin, hair, lint, etc. An individual just standing or sitting motionless corresponds to a generation of 100,000 particles in the 0.03 micron or larger size. Walking at 2 mph increases the generation rate to 5,000,000 particles.

·        Built-in environmental monitoring systems- Airxpert and Aircuity use vacuum pumps to pull air through tubing to a stationary sensing device.  700 foot is the maximum operating distance. Systems equipped with double manifolds and solenoids that can monitor up to 48 locations.

·        Vision for the future- is more intelligent buildings providing better information about CO2 and moisture to building operators.

·        Lapsed credentials? Many of us have worked hard to earn industry credentials. It is time consuming and costly to jump through the necessary hoops to maintain the credentials, what is the point at which that time, effort and money might be better spent elsewhere?

Today’s music: “When I Get To the Green Building” by Electric Six

Z-Man Signing Off 

Episode 230

Bill Weigand & Gary Loiben

Restoration Employment Primer

The cleaning and restoration (C&R) field is less prone to be adversely effected by downturns in the economy than other trades. On today’s broadcast of IAQradio, restoration industry technical trainers Bill Weigand and Gary Loiben, joined IAQradio co-hosts RadioJoe Hughes, Cliff Z-Man Zlotnik and IAQradio’s Technical Director Dieter Weyel, PhD to provide guidance to those considering employment in the cleaning and restoration field.

Nuggets mined from today’s show:

·        The C&R field is unusual in that, while in most fields employees pay for their own training prior to getting a job, employers pay for the cost of training their employees.

·        The majority of industry training is done in technical courses of 1-5 day duration. University level coursework in disaster restoration is available at Purdue University.

·        A wide range of positions are available: laborer, tradesmen, cleaners, supervisors, estimators, project managers, sales and marketing, human relations, etc.

·        C&R field offers employment for both males and females. Good opportunity for upward mobility.

·        Some tasks in C&R are deemed hazardous and require the donning of personal protective equipment.

·        During training don’t be afraid to ask questions.

·        If you have a learning disability or special needs please advise the instructor during course registration as they may be able to make special accommodations.

·        Ensure that you understand the information and concepts. Many instructors are willing to provide additional help and assistance to students.

·        Among the pre-requisites for employment in the C&R field: high school education, proof of citizenship, good credit report, driver’s license, willingness to learn, availability to work long hours, willingness to report to work on very short notice, etc.

·        Get involved in the course.

·        Mistakes are a natural part of learning, it’s preferable to make mistakes and learn from then in class than it is to make them on the job.

·        Training is a shared experience, bond and network with students during and after training.

·        Get to know the instructors, so that you will be able to call upon them for technical support in the future.

·        All adults were once young and naïve, our advice to today’s youth is to be very careful about what you put on Facebook.

·        Today’s Music: “We Don’t Need No Education” by The Wall

·        Dieter made a reading recommendation: Exploring the Dangerous Trades: The Autobiography of Alice Hamilton, MD

Z-Man signing off

 Episode 229
Greg Weatherman

The Weatherman’s forecast

Greg Weatherman (GW) refers to himself as a college dropout with a lot of curiosity and professional skeptic, who demands proof or theories he can test and confirm. GW has an established track record of assisting clients with health complaints and extreme sensitivities. GW is a Council Certified Microbial Consultant, contributor to industry standards and has developed a fogging method for removing airborne particulate. GW is passionate, outspoken and unafraid afraid to publicly mix-it-up with those with opposing opinions and positions in industry chat-rooms.

Nuggets mined from today’s episode:

·        When selecting chemicals for use in remediation of environments inhabited by sensitive individuals it’s about toxicology.

·        The swiffer the better. An advocate of swiffer cloths for microbial remediation.

·        Citing “marriage to negative pressure” as an example, GW opined there is too much “group think” and prescribed methodology in mold remediation standards.

·        PCR/ERMI  PCR is an analytical test method. ERMI is a statistical scoring method applied to PCR results.

·        Electrostatic cling. Prefers to surface sample on electronic equipment that retain soil by static charge removes the bias of foot traffic from humans and pets.

·        Lacks confidence in HEPA filtration.

·        Holds US Patent # 7,951,227 (Composition & Method for Dust Suppression) which GW touts as a useful, efficacious and cost effective process for microbial remedial, fire restoration, odor removal, etc. The marketplace will determine the economic success of his invention.

·        Advises that we learn and adapt information and technology from other industries.

Today’s music: Blame it on the weatherman by B’witched.

Z-Man signing off

Episode 228
Jean Cox-Ganser NIOSH

Jean Cox-Ganser Ph.D’s attributes her interest in occupational health to her uncle; a typesetter and printer who succumbed to lead poisoning.

While I complain often about how the federal government wastes the money that I and others pay in taxes, I do place a high value on the important work done by NIOSH. Over the course of my life I’ve worked as a steelworker, a pest control technician, disaster restoration worker and formulator of specialty chemicals.

Nuggets mined from today’s broadcast:

·        Suffix –itis means irritation
·        When requested, NIOSH performs Health Hazard Evaluations. Evaluators consider occupant surveys and observational assessments to be important diagnostic tools.
·        We don’t yet know the safe level for mold exposure.
·        Morbidity means illness and the outcomes of illness.
·        Keep an open mind regarding possible hazards and allow the data to tell the story.
·        Mold sampling. Air samples are variable. Culturing samples may miss majority of species present due to species interference during incubation. An advocate of using settled dust samples from carpets and furnishings to provide an aggregate historical picture of the situation. Looking at biomarkers such as beta glucans, endotoxin and ergosterol. Total fungal counts in cultured dust samples have a relationship with illness.
·        Healthy survivor effect, when sick people leave a troubled building.
·        Water based cutting fluids and semi aqueous cutting fluids may become host to microbial proliferation. Mycobacterium may colonize in cutting fluid. Microbial contaminated cutting fluid has been known to cause hypersensitivity pneumonitis and fibrosis.
·        Inhalation of soy particles has been known to result in asthma-like outcomes.
·        Exposure to diacetyl (from artificial butter flavor) in flavoring operations has been known to result in health issues and will be regulated by law.
·        Hot Shot Firefighters, are young in great physical condition. During firefighting operations they most often do not wear respirators or SCBA. They experience a decrease in lung function daily and function improves at the end of firefighting season.

From Dieter, I learned a new term inurement, becoming accustomed to an irritant.

A profound comment was made by RadioJoe during the show, “no one is invincible, over time you may regret that you thought you were. 

Today’s Music: Lung Disease Song by Mr. Andrew Norris

Z-Man signing off

Episode 227
RoboClean

Whether his creativity was acquired genetically, the result of the learning environment or a combination of both, Lance Weaver is a one very smart and creative guy. Lance, a degreed mechanical engineer, is considered an expert on forced air mechanical systems. Having used them since 1989, Lance is a pioneer in the use of robotics for the inspection and cleaning of air conveyance systems. During his tenure in the industry; Lance has seen big changes from the days when encapsulants were indiscriminately fogged into ductwork, when source removal meant a big vacuum truck, and commercial and industrial projects always necessitated lots of manual labor to the present day where robotics, video inspection monitors, HEPA vacuums and containment are the state-of-the-art best practices.

Nuggets mined from today’s shows:

·        Robots as the best employee you can ask for, no workmen’s comp or OSHA concerns.

·        Lloyd’s Systems is the state of South Dakotas’s leading exporter.

·        Lloyd’s Systems robots are versatile being used to: inspect, clean and apply treatments and coatings to the interiors of duct systems. A new version is equipped for dry ice blasting.

·        “Duct preparation”, a new moniker for duct cleaning.

·        Duct sealing will surpass duct cleaning in the near future.

·        Fire dampers, smoke detectors and other areas requiring special treatment are noted during the inspection phase.

·        Developed a procedure that permits HVAC efficiency to be calculated with much improved accuracy.

·        Offering an example of ROI on sealing 200,000 square foot of 1.6 years, demonstrates that significant energy savings can be obtained by reduction of duct leakage with sealants. FYI, buildings which have undergone duct sealing are eligible to receive LEED points.

·        Dust removal, the next big financial opportunity.

To differentiate from the past, I opine that a better term needs to be coined than duct sealing.

Today’s Music: American Anthem by Norah Jones, Clean-Up Robot by Harry Kindergarten

Z-Man signing off

Episode 226

Training that Works

Joy Finch, Associate Professor and Department Head for Environmental, Health and Safety Training at Greenville Technical College (GTC) was today’s guest on IAQradio. GTC has been an educational institution for 50 years and has concentrated on adult learning for 45 of those years. With the motto of Training that Works, the school is focused on tying education to employment. GTC’s programs use a combination of instructional technologies to meet the outcome needs of students. Under Joyce’s leadership, GTC is responsive to market trends and needs. Joyce is professionally well connected and was able to quickly respond to the need for training lead renovators, over 6,000 lead renovators have gone through GTC’s program. Joyce comes across to the listening audience as perky and upbeat, a combination of her outgoing personality and from her formal training as a pianist.

Nuggets mined from today’s show:

·         Contractors who attend GTC programs and learn how to comply with stringent government regulations are frustrated by losing jobs to fly-by-night contractors who don’t.

·         The paint company Sherwin Williams is a good lead renovator resource.

·         Conventional classroom training is “the sage on stage.

·         ”The difference between education and training: education teaches critical thinking and the drawing of conclusions, while training has a specific and well defined goal.

·         Online training institutions are the result of a forced compromise driven by economic realities. Most online training courses are deficient because instructors create courses and hand them over to IT folk who upload them. Superior online programs are actively instructor led, providing more than computer only training: they provide some student interaction with instructor, the ability for students to pose and have their questions promptly, group projects, phone conferences.

·         Blended learning, combines online training with hands-on clinical training.

·         The value of capturing education for future use, recording lectures, etc.

·         Nothing currently can replace the personal dynamic between teacher and student.

·          Interested? GTC  has a 2 year building science program.

·         The Environmental Information Association www. eia-usa.org, is using a multidisciplinary approach to improve and energize environmental training.

FYI, GTC hosts IAQ Training Institute courses. 

Today’s Music: Education Song by Art by Axidnt

Z-Man Signing Off

Episode 225: Will Lamb -AMRestore

Back to the future

When I entered the disaster restoration field in the early 1970s, there were some definite lines of business demarcation. General contractors did demolition, reconstruction and painting while cleaning contractors washed the structure, cleaned the contents and handled smoke odor removal. There were two differing approaches to the restoration of contents and personal property. In cities such as Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta and Chicago the contractors’ preference was to routinely pack and transport personal property to large facilities for cleaning, restoration and storage. Elsewhere contractors preferring to do the work on location whenever practical.  Between 1970s-80s a restoration firm with a furniture refinishing shop and ultrasonic cleaning capability was pretty much as sophisticated as it got.  Now the cleaning and restoration of contents has really come of age and Will Lamb is a new age contents restoration pioneer.

Will Lamb’s firm AMRestore of Maryland routinely cleans and restores a wide range of personal property previously considered either un-restorable or which needed to be subcontracted to a specialist at great cost. Will has acquired costly specialized equipment and processes to clean and restore electronics, photographic media, clothing, etc., sent staff to Florence, Italy to learn art conservation and developed proprietary cleaning and inventory management processes. Will has five attributes that impress me: the guts to believe in and follow his dream, the creativity to develop new and better processes, the passion to seek ongoing improvement, the vision to recognize valuable technology and resources in related fields and the patience to develop and stick to his plan.

Nuggets mined from today’s interview include:

• Set the customer’s expectations, under promise and over deliver.
• Learn to follow your instincts and turn down jobs that don’t feel right.
• Search and adapt technology from other industries.
• CHAT- the components of cleaning are Chemistry, Heat, Agitation and Time.
• Pack contents to attain processing efficiency.
• Documentation, documentation, documentation.

Today’s introductory comments:  “Stuff” by the late, great comedic genius George Carlin.

Z-Man signing off

Episode 224

Out with the old and in with the new

When asked which term better described him patient or impatient elicited a loud belly laugh, I knew IAQradio’s time with Dan Mabesoone would be some time well spent. Dan, a man of action, is impatient and wants action now. Dan discussed his journey from IICRC outsider to Clean Trust insider. The big story is the profound change that has occurred at the IICRC, a new name Clean Trust…more importantly significant leadership change…”the tribe has spoken.”

These are my words and sentiments not Dan’s. The name Dan Mabesoone first came onto my radar screen when he filed an ethics complaint against IICRC’s technical director for Conflict of Interest.  At the time Dan filed his complaint I served on both the IICRC board and the ethics committee. The board and the ethics committee were polarized over the conflict of interest Dan complained about, while some board and committee members could see the conflict of interest in Technicolor others were blind to it, the resultant ruling was a watered down compromise…which I would characterize as too little, too late. I served on the IICRC board of directors for 13 years and hated most of it. I didn’t hate the organization or the people. I hated the waste, the inefficiency and dysfunction.  What I most despised about the IICRC was the blatant and unabashed perversion of power, I witnessed. The IICRC suffered from a pervasive entitlement culture where board members served for decades, insiders were permitted to build profitable businesses and consultancies based upon the organization becoming financially dependent upon it, while hangers-on and wannabes waited their turn for a share of the spoils. What most frustrated me, was no matter how hard I tried to effectuate positive change, I was unable to get anything positive done.  It took 13 years to unravel the clinging tentacles by which one insider was strangling the organization.

Association executive, Patrick Winters was coming into the IICRC at the same time that I was bowing out. I wondered about the new guy. Would Patrick be able to make the diagnosis? Would the organization be willing to make the tough decisions that were necessary?  Would Patrick be able to out maneuver the strong opposition from well entrenched insiders that he was surely going to encounter? Could/would power within the organization be restored to its rightful place?

• Time will tell whether the groups 3 original shareholders/guardians, Rod and Darrell Paulson and Lee Pemberton are now comfortable enough to sell or donate their shares back.
• Glenn Felman’s very insightful comment that the discussion and chatter is focused on the smaller issue the organization’s name change not the fundamental and profound change that occurred within.
• While I was and remain resistant to ASCR’s rebranding as RIA, I believe that the IICRC’s rebranding to Clean Trust need to be done and is a brilliant strategy.

Change is hard, big change is much harder. Meaningful change often comes with inadvertent collateral damage and good people inevitable suffer getting caught in the crossfire.

Repeat, these are my words and sentiments not Dan’s.

Today’s Music: “Come to the carpet” by Harry Kindergarten

Z-Man signing off

Episode 223

Older and Wiser

Jack Thrasher, PhD. has specialized in toxicology since 1966. Toxicologist Jack Thrasher, PhD’s interest in He got interested in toxicology, when he reviewed the ingredients of his prescription nose drops and found to his surprise that the medication contained mercury. The use of mercury in the medication piqued his interest and he began to study mercury.

Nuggets gleaned from todays show:

·         Toxic encephalopathy is brain damage and/or neuro-cognitive deficit.

·         Do it yourself test for balance, do you get dizzy when you close your eyes in the shower? Balance depends upon vision and vestibular organs in the inner ear.

·         Over emphasis on mold and mycotoxin, while overlooking bacteria and the synergetic effect between fungal and bacterial toxins.

·         As a high profile consultant, Dr. T encounters some scary situations. Such as an Ohio hospital in which 12 occupants suffer from transfer myelitis (inflammation of the spinal cord). Paralysis as the result of mold exposure and another client who after exposure to high levels of fungi suffers from a muscle wasting disease.

·         As he has found air sampling indoors to often be unreliable, he recommends taking both passive and aggressive samples indoors. To stir up the air, he uses sterile trifluoroethane propellent.

·         He suggests dust sampling from 4-5 reservoirs for “source accumulation” such as refrigerator coils, and having the samples ERMI PCR DNA analyzed.  Refrigerator coils are “historical sources”.

·         Recommends that mold culture samples be cultured at both 25° C and 37° C to allow both thermophilic fungi and non-thermophile specifies to be detected.

·         Microbial particulates <1 micron are often overlooked. These are often present in quantities of 500 X larger particles.

·         Endotoxin contamination of pharmaceuticals is known to cause fevers.

·         Inspection of water damaged properties often miss structural defects that result in damage to adjacent building material.

·         Pasteurization is ineffective on deeply embedded contaminate, “another attempt to make money”.

·         Aspergillus is the most dangerous fungi affecting both immune compromised and non-immune compromised individuals. Aspergillus species are known to produce gliotoxin.

·         On green cleaning chemicals, botanically derived ingredients are toxic. He prefers and recommends vinegar and boric acid.

·         Chronic rhino sinusitis may result from dual infection, simultaneous infection by both fungi and bacteria. Biofilm may form in the body. These infections may permit toxins to enter the brain through the olfactory system.

·         Advice, “quit denying and start reading the literature”

Today’s Music:  “Chemical Workers Song”  By Great Big Sea

Z-Man signing off

Episode 222

Portnoy’s Perspective

Jay M. Portnoy, MD Chief, Section of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics in Kansas City, MO was today’s guest on IAQ radio. While many physicians simply treat allergy symptoms, Dr. P feels that environmental assessment and intervention are a standard part of medical care akin to an x-ray.

Nuggets from today’s show:

• Due to the relationship between occupant and environment, allergists are interested in IAQ.
• Because allergists spend much of their time treating patients who’s environments contribute to their illness, allergists have an investment in IAQ.
• The poster child for his program was a 15 month old child, who in a 15 month period visited the ER 18 times and was hospitalized 12 times. Dr. P discussed the situation with another patient who coincidently was an IH. Feeling that the child had an environmental problem not a lung problem, he convinced his boss to allow him to hire an IH to inspect the home. Finding major irreparable environmental problems, they used community resources to move the family into a healthier environment, the child is now much healthier.
• Since the incidences of hemosiderosis in children in Cleveland, he has encountered one case of hemosiderosis in a child. Site assessment found Stachybotrys in the dwelling. Dr. P opines that hemosiderosis is a marker for a highly contaminated environment.
• High end homes also have environmental problems associated with health effects: installation problems, HVAC system design, etc.
• Tips for IEP in preparation of environmental assessment reports: Use a standardized format, include date, photos, provide background information, scope of recommended work along with a list of what has and has not been done, room by room evaluation, color coded: Good green, Caution yellow and Problem red, recommendations ranked in order of importance, analytical results demarcated, how was analytical work performed, references upon which the recommendations were based.
• Allergists are ready to work with IEPs.
• Work needs to be done to obtain payment and reimbursement, some work can be coded under miscellaneous codes. Suggests obtaining prior authorization criteria.
• IEPs should not comment on health issues. “above threshold recommended by health authorities.

Dr. Jay Portnoy, is engaged in valuable and important work that is making a difference in his patient‘s health and quality of life.

Today’s music: “I’ve got asthma” By the Toy Dolls

Z-Man signing off

Episode 221

Forensic Industrial Hygienist

Caoimhin Connell, a Colorado based industrial hygienist with an impressive CV, refers to himself as a forensic industrial hygienist. Mr. Connell coined the term “forensic industrial hygienist” as one who develops for his client the most objective argument based on the facts.  Caoimhin’s opinions are primarily used in civil litigation and criminal proceedings.

Nuggets from the show:

Worked on Colorado’s title protection statute for industrial hygienist

Clandestine Drug Labs. Law enforcement first responders often cannot wear PPE because it interferes with body armor and weapons. Criteria that the threat assessment is based upon includes: presence of  children and/or other building occupants, perpetrators, responder’s personal protection, physical hazards such as booby traps, chemical hazards. The threat cannot be adequately assessed until responders get inside. Hydrochloric acid, phosgene, VOCs, iodine and ammonia are commonly encountered. Alarming statistic, 50% of unprotected first responders suffer chemical injuries. Clandestine drug labs have residual health hazards. California, Arkansas and Missouri are the hotspots for clandestine drug labs.

Marijuana grow houses formerly operated by hippies are now much more hazardous due to a new and more dangerous class of criminal. Law enforcement responders routinely now find cocaine and methamphetamine. Site hazards include CO, CO2, ultrafine particles and offensive odors. Marijuana grow houses often do not suffer structural damages and do not retain residual health hazards.

IAQ investigators must have the ability to define the problem. IAQ investigators need to be open minded. The complaint may not be related to IAQ. Stressors can include: lighting, ergonomics, interpersonal relations, etc.

Critical of IEP’s who collect nonsensical samples. 75% of IAQ problems can be resolved without sampling. In 600 mold assessments he only used sampling 3 times. Sampling is useful for academic pursuit to increase knowledge base or for litigation purposes. Investigator can often predict sampling results.

Fungi have both beneficial and adverse health effects.

On guidelines and standards. A common sense approach is necessary. IEP should recommend what is most appropriate for the situation. IEP should present an objective argument.

Lead is an insidious and persistent pollutant often found in a “bio-available state”. Government regulations have resulted in a reduction of lead levels found in blood.

Current asbestos abatement control methods are suitable for the hazard.

Opines that next big IAQ issued are: polyurethane foam insulation, ultrafine particles, new building materials.

Ruffled the feathers on some of our listening audience when he discussed successful consulting projects in which he was involved where he opined that large areas of drywall colonized with mold were HEPA vacuumed and lumber yard mold present on wood was left in place.

When challenged by a listener’s text question about a seeming contradiction to public health guidelines about mold on his website, he cited World Health Organization “decide what contaminates can be removed and what can be left in place”, EPA “it’s impossible to remove all mold”.  He challenged those with opposing opinions to “show him the guideline.”

Advice to IHs and IEPs. Go back to basics, first and foremost stick with science.

Show music:

Traditional Irish Music by Caoimhin O Raghallaigh & Mick O’Brien

ZMan signing Off

Episode 220

 Their hearts are behind it

After seeing images anguished children separated from their parents and elderly who were left behind being floated on mattress in the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina; Gary Dietrich felt compelled to do something. He volunteered, was trained by the Red Cross and completed a 10 day working stint in the gulf coast. While working in the gulf region he noticed inefficiencies among emergency responders: their need to search residences multiple times, not knowing whereabouts of evacuees, loss of contact information and important documents and records. Committed to making a positive difference Gary founded Safely Out, a 501-C3 charitable nonprofit organization, on the premise of learning from the lessons of Hurricane Katrina. Safely Out is a simple idea, the development and distribution of a kit to help protect the vulnerable in disaster prone areas. The kit contains simple and practical communication tools to help in the event of a disaster: a door hanger which can alert responders that help is needed or advise them that the occupants are evacuated, waterproof forms, magnetic form and pen for provide contact information. Safely Out isn’t designed to supplant other programs for emergency preparedness. The kits are assembled by a sheltered workshop. Safely Out has successfully partnered with government, business and communities. Safely Out’s work is funded by government grants, businesses and individuals. Safely Out’s relationship with the disaster restoration community began when the group got the attention of Charlie Cassini a restoration consultant in Safely Out’s hometown of Sacramento. Gary has spoken and multiple RIA events resulting in several large financial donations from association members and a working partnership with DKI. Gary was successful in recruiting Paul Jacks, a 31 year veteran of disaster preparedness to lend a hand at Safely Out. Safely Out is an inclusive and welcoming organization. Gary has been successful in moving the needle of the media. We at IAQradio with him and his organization continued success.

Today’s music: Emergency Evacuation DJMillo & DJBony

Episode 219

Why IAQradio?

Show origin. While riding in my car, I heard an interview about a local company called TalkShoe that developed a software solution by which anyone could host their own radio show for free. I discussed the idea with Joe and my son Zack and we decided to go for it.

TalkShoes’s goal was to make money from Google ads. When “black mold scammers” showed up on our web-advertising for our first show we knew that for credibility reasons we needed to control our advertising.

The IAQradio logo. Joe and I were going to retain the services of a graphic artist to design a logo for the show, when my son Zack decided to take a stab at it. Beaming information is what we do and we feel the logo, Zack’s creation is fitting.

News presented in magazines and trade journals is aged, by the time we receive the magazine some of the information within is outdated. IAQradio is an industry media “game changer”, immediacy in information.

We try to be balanced. It’s impossible to be unbiased. We make a concerted effort to control our bias. We endeavor to present both sides of controversial issues.

No ambush policy, we wouldn’t want to be ambushed and we don’t want to ambush guests.

Why we do what we do? It’s fun, it’s challenging, we want to provide an industry service that we hope makes a difference.

RadioJoe didn’t pick his moniker, I felt he needed one and coined the name.

IAQradio is “Easier than TV”, we can do the show in our underwear.

Show invitation. RadioJoe prepares the show invitation each week and provides the compelling reason why the audience should listen.

Components of the show: opening music Chambers Brothers 1968 song- “Time Has Come Today”, is inspirational and has themes of the show- “the time has come today, can’t put it off another day, I don’t care what others say, the rules have changed today.”

Opening announcement. For sentimental reasons, we retain the voice of Zack the first engineer.

We use music because, just talk can be boring. While adding the music is a technical challenge it breaks up the dialogue. We try and select musical clips that have a connection to the guest.

Acronym police: there are so many acronyms in our lexicon. We wanted to make a conscious effort that the audience would know what we are talking about.

Trivia, the goal of the show is to be educational. Today, researching is an important component of learning. We attempt to select trivia questions that are related to the guest’s subject matter. Listeners generally need to quickly search the internet to find the answer.

Engineers. RadioJoe and I have a close attachment to our engineers: Zack Zlotnik, “Wing Man” Chris Boissell, “Environmental Annie” Kowalecki, Austin “Stone Cold Novak”. 

Technical director…while RadioJoe and I have significant field experience, we jointly felt we needed a stronger scientific anchor for the show. Enter Dr. Dietrich Weyel, a few years older, much wiser, practical, down to earth and his European accent just sounds smart.

Halftime. News segment; provides the opportunity for us to update our listening audience on happenings? Perhaps a subject segue or change of pace.

Association sponsors. Communicating with its members is a challenge for every trade association. IAQradio’s Association Sponsors have the foresight to do so electronically.

$$$. We couldn’t do the radio show without the financial support of our sponsors, IAQ Connections and JonDon were the first two.

Diverse audience: Indoor Environmental Professionals, Disaster Restoration Contractors, HVAC cleaners, building scientists, textile cleaners, consumers, etc.

Commitment. Joe, Dieter and I are committed to doing the show. We have called in from the field and from foreign countries, interrupted vacations and taken time away from family and friends in order to do the show.

Doing the show is quite a bit of work. Finding guests, conversing with guests and submitting questions in advance, preparing the invitation, show prep, doing the show, the blog

Preserving memories: Life is short, we have seen it firsthand. We cherish the opportunity to preserve interviews with guests who have passed: Phil McLaughlin, Mike O’Reilly & Bill Yobe.

Pioneer shows are some of my favorites. Discussing our industry roots with personalities and legendary industry pioneers: Lloyd  Weaver, Lee Pemberton, Martin King, Major Long, Greg Orndorff and Claude Blackburn.

IAQ is a profession and a business so it’s not always all about science, we periodically have business shows; Mark Violand, Fred Rock, Steve Toburen, interviews with successful entrepreneurs and contractors.

Roundup. Provides the opportunity to inject an important point, courteously giving the guest the final word.

CEC’s. An inexpensive way to earn CEC’s is huge benefit.

Why the blog? My impression of the show, nuggets for those too busy to listen to the show.

Technology. TalkShoe, Skype, marvels when it works, frustrating when it doesn’t.

Now you know what goes on behind the microphones at IAQradio. Thanks for listening!

Today’s music

“Happy Anniversary”     By the Flintstones

Z-Man Signing Off

Episode 218

Dan was part of an integrated team working on sensitive and complex IAQ problems in Air Traffic Control Towers. Design of the towers made them vulnerable to water intrusion and drywall provided plenty of mold food. The team was comprised of experts in Building Science, HVAC engineering and design, HVAC Cleaning, Industrial Hygiene, Public Health, General Contracting , Mold Remediation. His firm’s responsibility on the product was cleaning the HVAC system, which utilized interior lined ductwork. Duct-liner that was in satisfactory condition was contact vacuumed, liner that was damaged or had deteriorated was removed and replaced. No coatings were used due to residual odor concerns. Due to noise restrictions the work was done at night. Negative air and containment barriers were used to guard against cross contamination. Air traffic control is a critical operation which could not be shutdown. Contingency planning and security clearances were also added concerns.

Takeaways from today’s episode:

·         On mold remediation projects that require HVA system cleaning he recommends mold remediation first and HVAC cleaning last.

·         HVAC cleaning prioritization: start on return side work back toward the air handler, air handler then do supply side.

·         When diagnosing IAQ problems, contractors need to be knowledgeable about what they know and don’t know. Sometimes a simple and practical approach will resolve the problem and in other circumstances the problem is much more complex. Building owners and managers may want a band-aid rather than a solution. Know when to hold’m and know when to fold’m.

New standards and guidelines:

NADCA is the acknowledged authority on HVAC cleaning and maintenance. A team within NADCA is hard at work on a position paper on chemical application within HVAC systems. The document will define the relevant terms and address – pros and cons, best practices, use application method, pros/cons, and EPA concerns and considerations. The document will cover: sealants, coatings, antimicrobials, coil cleaners, and ozone & UV lights.

RIA/IESO are working on a protocol for the evaluation and sampling of HVAC systems contaminated by fire related particulate. The document is important because of the various stakeholders (property owners, occupants, insurance carriers, healthcare professionals, etc.) on a project need an objective process to t the absence or presence of fire related particulate.

Episode 217

Just Prove It

On today’s episode of IAQradio, Mark McLaughlin, a disaster repair and remediation contractor, discussed his applied research project with our listening audience. Admittedly, Mark “doesn’t like theory and wants hard data.” He was troubled by guidance found in the Guidelines for the Assessment and Remediation of Fungi in Indoor Environments, more commonly referred to as the NYC Guidelines. Mark was concerned that on small area of 10 square feet of visible mold or less that the document was dismissive of the need for containment, putting worker and occupant health at risk and increasing the likelihood for cross contamination to occur.

RIA’s Certified Mold Program, like all of RIA’s advanced destination programs requires participants to complete a research project. Mark chose to undertake an applied research project rather than book research project. With the cooperation and financial support of his partners in Restoreall Inc, he set out to gather hard data for use as his capstone project for accreditation as an RIA Certified Mold Professional. Their firm rented a warehouse and stick built 4 uniformly sized rooms. After construction the rooms were wetted to stimulate mold growth and then remediated the rooms 4 different ways. 3 of the rooms were remediated with variants of the firm’s standard operating procedure. The 4^th room was remediated following recommendations found in the NY City Guidelines.

Sampling 15 Air-O-Cell cassettes were run in each room, 15 liters for 15 minutes. The sampling wasn’t comparative of indoor versus outdoor air, rather indoor versus indoor. The sampling demonstrated the high levels of mold spores and dust that are generated when even a small area of mold is remediated. Mike Pinto’s firm Wondermakers Environmental, provided a gratis analysis of the samples.

Mike Pinto 3 priorities for fungal remediation are: 1)Protect yourself and your workers.2)Protect the occupants. 3)Protect the building and contents. Additional comments by Mike included: anecdotal evidence supports the danger of mold to remediation workers and house wrap prevents moisture diffusion, trapping moisture in newer buildings.

Dieterisms: “dust=mold spores” and “good work inevitably takes less time to perform than bad work.”

Today’s music: Growing Mold by Radioactive Chicken Heads

Z-Man signing off

Episode 216

Kent Rawhouser, A & J Specialty Services

After working in asbestos abatement, Kent Rawhouser was bitten by the entrepreneurial bug and started a ceiling cleaning business that soon diversified into carpet cleaning, water damage restoration, and mold remediation. Kent’s business performs both restoration and indoor air quality services and he observes some distinct differences between disaster restoration and IAQ projects. Disaster restoration projects are often triggered by an emergency response, on disaster restoration projects the client relies upon the contractor to provide guidance, make key decisions and do the work. IAQ projects involve thought, advance planning  and may involve conflict of interest  considerations that entail the contractor to work scopes of repair and work specifications prepared by and under the supervision of a 3^rd party consultant.

Nuggets mined from the show:

• Kent, echoed the frustration of a contractor working under the supervision of consultants who are less knowledgeable and less experienced.
• If you know through your training that something should be done such as installing an air scrubber, it is cheaper and better to install the equipment even knowing you won’t be paid for it than to not install it and be sued for not doing something according to industry standards,
• Relationship management: client, contractor, consultant.
• Listen to the client, commenting that he received highest accolades and praise from a client to whom he said the least.
• Some insurance companies are covering the costs of indoor environmental consultants on projects.
• Property owners have the right to choose the restoration contractor who does the work on their property.
• Property owners must live with the scope and quality of the work performed on their property.
• Property owners should be comfortable with their restoration or remediation firm
• Seek consultants who understand what the books and standards say and have the practical experience and common sense to apply it.
• Sometimes performing work to industry standards is impossible and/or cost prohibitive.
• Stay within your means, seek help on projects too large or too complicated to handle. 
• Kent opined upon a level playing field where contractor licensing was state mandated that the importance of industry certifications would be minimized.

Kent would like to see more research on efficacy and efficiency of cleaning methods including air srubbing post remediation.

Today’s music   Growing Mold by radioactive Chicken Heads

Z-Man signing off

PS-Although technically I never believed that time changes a category 1 water damage into a category 3 or black water loss, if it will help policyholders collect the necessary funds to have their properties repaired and provides more opportunity for restorers and consultants to work I’ll make a conscious effort to hold by tongue and stop publically pointing it out.

Episode 215

Delmhorst Instrument Company

Paul Laurenzi, VP Sales and marketing Delmhorst Instrument Company was our guest on last week’s episode of IAQradio. I apologize for the delay in posting the blog. I was a customer of Delmhorst long before I met Paul. Among the earliest customers of Delmhorst Instrument Company were building superintendants in NYC who used the moisture measurement devices to track moisture leaks in plaster ceilings, walls and roofs. The company founder the late Bill Delmhorst was a lover of wood who worked with universities and the USDA to develop credible moisture measurement criteria. The firm currently manufactures specialty moisture meters and a wide range of accessories for use in measuring moisture contents of hay, cotton, leather, paper pulp, etc. the firm also manufactures thermo hygrometers for measuring temperature and relative humidity.

The technology: two primary technologies are used to measure moisture within materials: pin type which works on resistance and non-invasive which works on capacitance. Capacitance type sends a signal ¾” into materials. The signal bounces back with a reading on a comparative numeric scale.

Tips:

• Moisture content of concrete is difficult to measure accurately due to variables in the material, densities, additives, etc. ASTM Standard F-2170 uses a thermo-hygrometer to quantitatively measure moisture content of cement. The process involves drilling small holes into the cement, special probes and takes 72 hours.
• Sensors used within thermo-hygrometers have a tolerance, as such 6 brand new meters set side by side may have slightly different readings.
• Calibration: For thermo-hygrometers with removable sensors. He advises a sensible approach of purchasing an extra sensor, storing the spare sensor in a stable environment and periodically verifying the sensors in the field meters by swapping out and comparing readings.                                                                                   Two saturated salt solution are offered for use in verifying calibration.
• Delmhorst has developed a Moisture Content Standard, a cube with imbedded resistance values which is used to check the accuracy of pin-type moisture meters.
• For firms interested in ISO confirmation a Letter of Certification for some Delmhorst instruments is available.
• For accuracy and long life, be sure to change batteries frequently and store devices in protective cases when not being used.
• On reports, reading on a relative scale of 0-100 was 60 and my unaffected reference point reading was 10 .

The Delmhorst Company manufactures quality products, listens and is responsive to customer suggestions and needs. Paul Laurenzi is a knowledgeable and all around good guy.

Today’s Music  Weather Song  by Tom Glazer

Episode 214

Getting Paid

RPP are the initials of a prestigious jeweler who once owned a highly successful business in Pittsburgh. His firm sold expensive jewelry to Elizabeth Taylor and other rich, powerful and famous. The interior of their building which served as both business and residence was extraordinary. Marble, crystal chandeliers, luxurious antique furnishings and the thickest plushest maroon velvet wool carpeting that I have ever seen adorned the floors. In the 1970s the RPP business suffered severe smoke and odor damage when an adjoining property caught fire. From all accounts RPP was not only an expert jeweler but an honest and true gentleman. RPP’s died and the business was carried on by his widow, who was much younger than him.

One of RPP’s widow’s employees summoned me to a meeting to discuss the necessary restoration. I was in my 20s, confident in my technical capabilities, hardworking and naïve. I conducted a top-to-bottom inspection of the building and conducting some on site testing to determine the restorability of materials, I was advised that we must have the work completed in 48 hours.

I asked the jeweler’s widow to sign our work authorization. She said that she didn’t sign any papers and that her lawyer had power of attorney.  Her attorney counted among his client’s RPP’s widow, the owner’s of the Pittsburgh Steelers, among others. Having a signed contract was my company policy.  I knew she was affluent and could certainly well afford to pay me. I didn’t have much experience working for the rich. I knew that I kept my promises and expected those I did business with to do the same.  I knew that a successful jeweler would need to both trust others and be trustworthy. I waived my policy and didn’t obtain a signed contract. My crew and I slaved round the clock so the RPP could open on Monday morning clean and smoke odor free. Early Monday AM, I met the widow and her staff for a final inspection. They seemed impressed with what we had accomplished and the quality of our work.  I phoned the widow’s attorney and was told he was in a meeting.  Later that day, I dropped by his office and was told he couldn’t see me. I hired an attorney to help me collect and unfortunately never did, not a penny. RPP’s widow, is retired and living in Tuscany, still owing me $3,300, plus 30 years interest.

I toiled in the disaster repair industry for over 35 years. Over the course of my work in field my businesses and I made many mistakes which translate to several millions of dollars worth of lost revenue. Some of the most bitter memories are not getting paid for the arduous work performed.

I sought good legal counsel, paid significant amounts of money on legal advice, contract development and litigation too much money was deemed uncollectible and lost. While my firm would often struggle to get paid for the high quality disaster restoration work my firm had performed, public adjusters seemed to always get paid. I was aware of that something in the public adjusters contract shifted the balance of power from the policyholder over to their designated representative.

Florida attorney Harvey Cohen, has provided a valuable service to the insurance repair contracting field by adapting and applying effective legal tactics from the medical field to property damage insurance claims.

Nuggets gleaned from today’s interview:

·         The most common dispute between policyholder and insurer is the amount of the claim.

·         Fee shifting statute, most states have statutes under which attorneys' fees may be awarded to a prevailing plaintiff, such as an action on a contract where the contract contains a provision allowing recovery.

·         “Standing in the shoes of the policyholder”, assignment of benefits is a legally binding agreement between policyholder and their insurance carrier which directs them to send reimbursement checks directly to their legal representative: lawyer, contractor or public adjuster.

·         It isn’t in the insurance company’s best interest to settle property damage claims quickly. Insurance companies delay settlement of claims and set settlement funds aside in tax free interest bearing investments while claims are being settled. The longer it takes to settle the claim, the more interest earned.

·         The “squeaky wheel gets the grease”, persistence pays off move payments along.

·         Cohen & Battisti offers contracts and assignments of benefits forms to contractors free on his website.

·         Chinese Drywall claims have resulted in big awards but people not getting paid!

Harvey Cohen the self proclaimed “Johnny Appleseed of Assignment of Benefits” is making a big difference in leveling the playing field between insurance carriers, policyholders and contractors.

Today’s Music:  Perry Mason Theme By The Blues Brothers

Z-man signing off 

Episode 213

Lew Harriman, Mason-Grant Consulting

Expert moisture consultant Lew Harriman was our guest on today’s episode of IAQradio.  Lew, a presenter at Indoor Air 2011, discussed both his impressions and takeaways from Indoor Air 2011 with IAQradio listeners.  

·         Indoor Air 2011, was truly a collaborative international event that featured new research and new information rather than rehashing the old.

·          Craig Venter, PhD’s Metagenomic research results. The human body contains 20,000 unique human genes and 10,000,000 microbial genes. Over 1,000 distinct organisms found in our mouths. Microbial diversity in the environment is far greater than we knew before very recent metagenomic research (last two years).

·         Kathleen Kreiss, MD’s  3-part negative health predictor based on NIOSH workplace health investigations. When water stains, odors and visible mold growth are all present at the same time, the building is more likely to have produced negative health effects for occupants. This "3-part predictor" has proven a more reliable indicator of potential health problems than fungal sampling or moisture content measurements.  

·         Synergistic effect of moisture + fungi, bacteria and viruses.

·          David Miller, PhD. Molds produce different flavors of beta glucans when fungi propagate on outdoor materials versus indoor building materials.  "Triple helix" D-beta glucan is produced when certain fungi digest building materials, but not when those same fungi digest outdoor vegetation. The triple-helix version has a known path to negative health effects, including causation of asthma.

·          Jordan Peccia, Ph.D. at Yale University- Aspergillus fumigatus produces different metabolites when grown at different temperatures, The metabolites produced at 60 F – 70 F are most troublesome. Lew’s takeaway was ductwork downstream from cooling coils may need even more attention than we've already been giving it when designing HVAC systems, and in building maintenance programs.

·         Pawel Wargocki, Ph.D research into health effects of elevated levels of CO2 in stuffy classrooms. In rooms with poor IAQ, occupants' breathing rate and breathing volume decreases, resulting in the backup of CO2 in their bloodstreams. Over time, this buildup results in slight acidosis, in turn causing drowsiness and headaches. Our technical director Dieter Weyel, Ph.D disagrees with what Lew described as Dr. Wargocki's results, commenting that exhaled breath contains 5,000 PPM of CO2. Therefore an extra 500 or 1,500 ppm in the indoor environment is not likely to have any significant effect on the amount of CO2 in the bloodstream.

·         We understand causation better than before. We understand pathways better than before. This will influence regulations, occupant behavior, and building design.

·         Avoiding IAQ problems through building design. Designing and constructing buildings without guttering to keep water away from the foundation and with “persistent ornamental dampness” (aka ornamental water features within buildings) increases the risk of IAQ problems.

·          Lew’s presentation at Indoor Air 2011 focused on “the geography of moisture in buildings.” How moisture varies over time. Materials which get wet and don’t dry out are a concern. Relative humidity is very misleading when measured in the air, rather than at the surface of materials. Investigators will learn more about the geography of moisture within a building by monitoring surface temperatures and dew points than by tracking RH. Keeping track of dew point, and comparing it with surface temperatures will help locate identify potential areas of condensation.

• Ventilation air flow rates were the first topic of discussion at ASHRAE in 1896 and are still being vigorously debated today.

• Lew opines that building ventilation should be variable. Varying ventilation rates within buildings can improve IAQ and save energy. There is an energy penalty for ventilation and a corresponding energy saving potential when less ventilation is required (when fewer people are in the building). 

• Advised listeners of a recent story on NPR radio. “As number of foreclosed houses grows, so does mold” http://www.npr.org/2011/07/13/137629788/as-number-of-foreclosed-homes-grows-so-does-mold.

Lew is a master of explaining complicated concepts to those of us who are far less knowledgeable. Lew was well organized and well prepared for his interview on IAQradio and we want to thank him again for taking time out of his busy schedule to join us on IAQ Radio.

Episode 212

The Price is Right

Gilbert L’Hommaedieu’s business Net Claims Now (“NCN”) provides 3^rd party billing service for firms providing water damage restoration services for insurance companies.

Nuggets mined from today’s episode:

·        Xactimate is the accepted pricing data base for insurance repairs. Insurance repair contractors to their detriment are either unaware or overlook billing items within Xactimate to which they are entitled. 

·        Poor project documentation leaves restoration contractor vulnerable to pricing challenges by insurance adjusters.

·        “NCN” is a culture in which supporting documentation for projects is everything.

·        Contractors are often unaware of techniques for getting paid fairly and promptly. One such technique is having the policyholder sign contract documents which contain an “assignment of benefits clause”; which gives the contractor clout in negotiations with the adjuster.

·        “NCN” advises their clients of the financial risks of working on distressed properties and foreclosures.

·        “NCN” takes over the majority of the responsibility for billing and allows contractors to concentrate on the technical requirements of the project.

·        “NCN” advises contractors to first agree with the insurance company on the scope of damages and then negotiate the price.

·        Contractors spend money to get more business. “NCN” offers the option for contractors to get more money for the work they already have.

·        Provides freedom to wives of contractors who are often saddled with the responsibility of doing the billing.

·        In a 2 hour Go to Meeting Presentation, “NCN” teaches insurance repair contractors the rules of engagement, provides business tools and prepares contractor for negotiating with insurance adjusters. Contractors learn how to create and submit a professional packet of documentation that substantiates their invoice. The packet contains “state of the art” information recommended by the industry standards.

“NCW” is a great business concept, there is a need for his service, we wish them good luck and prosperity.

Today’s Music: “The Price is Right” theme song

Z-Man Signing Off

 Episode 211

Stayin Alive

As Radio Joe and today’s IAQradio guest Carl Grimes discussed their experiences at and impressions of the Indoor Air 2001, I jotted down what I considered to be the important points for inclusion in today’s blog.

Joe and Carl were overwhelmingly impressed with the event. They gave kudos to Richard Corsi, Glenn Morrison, Don Weekes, Richard Shaughnessy, Wane Baker and others. Over 1,000 people attended the event with the majority being one of 38 countries other than the US. Joe and Carl noted that many of the attendees were young and of the feminine persuasion.

·         The event was akin to taking a sip of water from a firehouse.

·         IEPs do important work, the work it will only become more important.

·         The strong influence that outdoor air has on indoor air. The unanticipated negative consequences that weatherization and green buildings have on indoor air. Green building is moving too fast without definition.

·         Plant based green building materials are food and colonization sources for bacteria and fungi. What did they think would happen? I can’t help but wonder what effect government earmarks, pork barrel spending, tax rebates and other financial subsidies have on putting a thumb on the scale.

·         Noted accomplishment of bringing researchers and practitioners together.

·         Semi-Volatile Compounds are a growing concern.

·         “If we don’t see it, we aren’t testing correctly.”

·         A genome is all the DNA in an organism including its genes. Dr. J.C. Venter, genome researcher and considered one of the leading scientists of the 21^st century presented startling results of air sampling and digitizing the biology of indoor air.

·         Comment from past guest , Robert Bean “What you breathe today has the ability to affect your offspring."

Z-Man Signing Off

Episode 210

Virginia Mold Regulation

Radio Joe and I have often found government officials unwilling to be interviewed on our radio program. Today things were refreshingly different, when David E. Dick, Executive Director of the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation discussed his state’s new mold licensing regulation with IAQradio listeners.

Our guest explained that a law and a regulation are different. In the Commonwealth of Virginia a law results from an act of the General Assembly and is approved by the governor empowering the Board for Asbestos, Lead, Mold and Home Inspectors to take specific action and develop a regulation. During drafting of the regulation, the public has the opportunity for input into the development of actual regulation. In a public process, a group composed of individuals drawn from the Asbestos, Lead-Based Paint Abatement and Home Inspector industries as well as from the Mold industry, two two citizen members that do not come from any of the regulated industries along with regulators crafted the regulation following the Virginia Administrative Process Act.

The VA mold bill began when Representative Daniel Marshall put forward House Bill 2032 in 2009 in order to protect public health, safety and welfare.

Mold licensing becomes effective on July 1, 2011.

While mold inspectors, mold remediation workers and mold remediation supervisors are covered by the regulation, there are exemptions to the licensing requirement.

Virginia will accept mold licenses from other states having equally rigorous requirements.

There will likely be an advantage for applicants who are members of a national or state mold remediation organization.

There is no requirement in the mold regulation for “mold insurance”.

The regulation has “conflict of interest” provisions.

Two separate  licenses, Inspector and Supervisor are needed to perform all activities.

The goal of the regulation is to have licensees willingly comply. If and when need be, the VA Compliance  Investigation Division will deal with violators and the unlicensed. In VA it is a criminal act and Class 1 misdemeanor to perform unlicensed activities.

The board is getting the word out about the regulation by contacting state and national indoor environmental associations, contacting individuals and organizations who have expressed an interest, making presentations at gatherings and events, etc.

The board wants individuals and firms to comply as quickly as possible.

Virginia is accepting mold licensing applications NOW.

Please read and understand the regulation before you apply!

FYI, IAQradio strictly adheres to a non-ambush policy. In order to educate or listeners we provide our guests with questions and discussion points in advance.

Today’s music: Regulation Blues by Jake Amerding

Z-Man signing off

Episode 209

Rock, Paper, Scissors

Certified Public Accountant and Investment Banker (IB) Fred Rock provided IAQradio listeners with a primer on the ins and outs of buying and selling a business. Investment bankers act as advisors to parties selling or buying a business. They can analyze a business and provide the seller with a range of value. They often know or can identify potential buyers that the seller may be unaware of. They advocate and negotiate for their client. They often have access to financing. 

·         The ideal time to sell a business is when the “planets are aligned, the business is prosperous and growing, the prospects are positive for continued business growth,  the economy is good and lenders are willing to loan money.

·         Buyers are purchasing an “economic engine”, “a revenue and earnings stream.”

·         Businesses are selling for between 4-6 times EBITA, an acronym for earnings before interest, taxes and amortization.

·         Buyers prefer business certainty over business uncertainty.

·         Buyers desire businesses with a dominant or unique market position, businesses with strong customer bases and with strong prospects that the buyer will keep the customers.

·         Buyers want businesses with margins equal to or better than average.

·          Businesses with barriers to entry are more valuable.

·         The more important the owner is to a business the less valuable the business.

·         Companies that rely on one customer for the majority of their business are risky buys.

·         Merger means that there is an exchange of stock. In an acquisition the seller receives cash and can walk away. Sometimes the seller will receive a minority interest which can be problematic as seller may have little say in the operation of the business after the sale.

·         Asset verses stock sale. Asset sale has less risk for hidden or unknown liabilities to emerge. Buyers who buy assets can take advantage of tax bases. Sometimes the primary asset of a business may be a lucrative contract which cannot be easily transferred so a stock purchase is preferred.

·         Timing of the sale of a business is very important. “Pigs get slaughtered”. Eventually every business will hiccup, the economy may decline and lenders won’t loan money.

·         Discretion is important in the sale of a business. Investment bankers use non-disclosure agreements to maintain confidentiality. Stay under the radar as long as possible. Avoid employee concerns and uncertainty that can lead to employees to seek employment elsewhere.

·         Investment bankers typically charge a monthly fee and receive a percentage of the sales proceeds.

·         To improve business value, sellers should build or invest in a strong management team.

·         IB’s are very patient. Bring in an investment banker well in advance of the sale of the business for guidance.

·         Investment bankers can provide assistance in transition of a family business. Parents often overvalue the abilities and work ethic of their children. Investment bankers can structure a transaction that finances retirement.

·         Entrepreneurs often make poor employees. There is often more than one correct way to do things. Entrepreneurs often become frustrated doing things someone else’s way. 70%-80% of entrepreneurs will be gone in 2 years or less after they sell their business.

·         The pitfalls of do-it-yourself business sales. Most buyers are smart and will seize the opportunity of taking financial advantage of a seller. Buyers may string out the seller to obtain leverage; they may reduce their offer by claiming inability to come up with the necessary cash. 

·         If big companies with all of their in-house resources use investment bankers to do deals, why shouldn’t a small business owner?

·         According to Fred, every big financial deal is likely to be led by an investment banker.

Rock, paper, scissors is a game, selling your business is not. Business owners are often strongly emotionally attached to their businesses. IB’s take much of the emotion out of the transaction. IB’s provide a buffer between buyer and seller. IB’s can be the Bad Cop when necessary.

My wife Judee and I vouch for Fred Rock’s professionalism and expertise as he represented us when we sold our business.

Today’s Music: Dealmaker Blues by Brandt Ross

Z-Man signing off 

Episode 208

Of CorsiCan

On today’s episode of IAQradio, Richard L. Corsi, Ph.D. PE, President of Indoor Air 2011 provided IAQradio listeners with an overview of  Indoor Air 2011; the triennial conference of the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate(ISIAQ). This event will focus on major challenges facing the indoor air and climate community such as the effect of building operation on climate change. The event provides a forum for researchers & practitioners to exchange ideas and is a great professional development opportunity. Over 900 technical papers were submitted for review, with moisture and mold being the most popular subject.

At the event, IAQ practitioners will have the opportunity to have questions such as: how close are we to developing mold exposure limit, what measurement methods, tools & processes are proven effective, are remediation methods really effective in protecting occupants, what happens when we seal a building and how tightly can we seal a building before we have problems answered by cutting-edge researchers.

The 10 thematic areas of the conference are:

·         Global Climate-Low energy and weatherized buildings, climate change effects on IEQ  (unintended consequences of over weatherization on buildings)

·         Sustainability/healthy buildings- IEQ and green buildings, healthy homes, building material emissions, learning from successes and failures, relabeling

·         Outdoor Connections- IEQ and regional air quality, persistent pollutants that originate indoors. (transportation diesel particulate matter)

·         Human Health-Children’s health, infectious disease transmission, emerging contaminates. Getting IEPs and MDs to work together and share information

·         Societal Imperatives- IEQ and affordable housing, environmental justice.  (Improving access of low income families to resources.)

·         Developing Countries- IEQ health effects and solutions. (Health concerns over stoves and lighting)

·         Improvement motivators- Regulations, legal action, surveys, cost analysis. (Getting people and policy makers to make decisions regulations, lawsuits, education.)

·         Innovative Solutions- Source reduction, low-energy air purification, safe building decontamination. (Passive systems such as catalytic oxidation and adsorption)

·         Innovations in practice- Field studies, new sampling and technology applications.

·         Fundamentals- Building physics, chemistry, biology, sources, transport, sinks, climate and occupant responses. (Better understanding pollutants and pollutant emitters.)

Word of the day was microbiome-the totality of microbes, their genetic elements (genomes), and environmental interactions in a defined environment.

RadioJoe will be representing IAQradio at the conference and promises a post event report.

Today’s Music: The University of Texas Austin fight song

Z-Man signing off  

Episode 207

Some people are so smart that it’s scary… today’s guest on IAQradio Dr. Michal Krzyzanowski Head of the Bonn Office World Health Organization (WHO)- European Centre for Environment and Health is certainly one of those folks. It’s hard to imagine someone being fluent in 5 foreign languages, holding a masters degree in physics plus two doctorate degrees in epidemiology. Dr. K began the interview by providing background info on the WHO:  the organization was started in 1948, now is global with 192 member states, with offices in: Geneva Switzerland, Washington DC, Bonn Germany, etc. The WHO’s budget is $2 billion USD per year. The European Centre for Environment and Health focuses on health issues relating to: air quality, housing and health, environment and health, noise, chemical safety, sustainability, climate change, etc. The ministries of health of the member states create the organization’s strategic objectives and directives.

Nuggets gleaned from today’s episode:

• According to the WHO, over 2,000,000 deaths a year are attributed to household solid fuel combustion.
• Dampness and mould is the umbrella subject for indoor air bio-contaminates.  The WHO reviewed the accumulated body of scientific evidence. Throughout the European Union 15%-18% percent of the population lives in damp houses, in select countries and areas as many as 40% of the population lives in damp housing. The review agreed that damp housing exacerbates asthma and respiratory irritation, that a link exists between dampness, mould and other effects, and that it was less well established that dampness and mould causes asthma. The group found a 50% increase of health risks for people who lived in damp houses.
• Moisture prevention is the primary prevention mechanism, intervention is secondary.
• Prior to focus on dampness and mould the WHO also has concentrated on environmental tobacco smoke, radon and manmade mineral fibers.
• WHO guidelines consider biases including publishing biases.
• “WHO Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality: Selected Pollutants” focuses on 9 chemicals (CO, formaldehyde, naphthalene, NO2, PAHs, radon, trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene. The guideline contains a chapter on particulate matter PM10 and PM2.5. The document is essential and important, the first step in recognizing risks and providing indicators upon which actions can be taken. An abbreviated summary of the document is available.
• Ultrafine particulate matter is a serious concern. The health dangers from ultrafine particulate have been found to be much more widely distributed by the bloodstream than previously thought, damaging more organs and systems than just the respiratory system.
• Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) is the most important risk with evidence to support the benefits of avoidance of the contaminate.

Dr. K introduced 2 interesting new concepts for listeners to think about: “The Burden of Disease” and “What is the process of pollution?”

This Week’s Music: “We’ve Got the Whole World’s Health In Our Hands” by the NIGH Project

Z-Man signing off

Episode 206

Instrumental in instrumentation

On today’s episode# 206 of IAQradio, Rick Stonier gave listeners a primer on sensing instruments. Rick has over 25 years experience in the design, production, sales and marketing of IAQ instrumentation. He is the managing Partner of GrayWolf Sensing Solutions a firm that manufactures and markets mobile PC based IAQ instrumentation worldwide.

Nuggets mined from today’s show:

• The potential financial opportunity of capitalizing on proposed IAQ legislation was the motivating factor which got Rick’s business into the IAQ field.
• Read the manuals that come with your instruments.
• Calibrate your instruments.
• Periodically change sensors. Some sensors, like batteries, are self-consuming and deplete over time whether being used or not.
• Electrochemical sensors may offer the options of low and high range. Rick suggests that the low range carbon monoxide sensor would be most useful to IEPs in most situations.
• Diffusion is the working principle of many sensors.
• Sensors can, depending on their type. provide either a general indicator of what’s going on such as VOCs or specifically measure a gas such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide or ozone.
• Rapid response is very important. Technicians may become impatient waiting for sensor reading and use invalid measurements.
• Drift- is the gradual change in the output of a sensor over time.
• What is the effect of airborne contaminates on sensors? Cigarette smoke in smoking lounges is the primary sensor contaminate of concern to IEPs. Sensor contaminates may be a concern in industrial settings.
• Using instrument to measure pressure differentials in buildings can help resolve IAQ problems i.e. carbon monoxide from car exhausts being drawn in from garages, stack effect, etc.
• Before Photo Ionization Detectors “PIDs” were developed most sensors relied on tin or other metal oxides. Metal oxide sensors have an inherent flaw, cross sensitivity to methane.
• PIDs can detect some specific gases in the PPM and PPB ranges. PIDs can be a valuable screening tool when used like a “bloodhound” to sniff odors and gases within a building.
• Sensing instruments can be a valuable precursor prior to air sampling.

Restoration technician/ IEP tips:

1) cutting a suitable sized hole to accommodate a sensor in a Styrofoam cut enables an IEP to monitor Temp/RH and GPP on airstreams from HVAC diffusers.

2) IEPs and restoration technicians should consider adding a line item onto their invoicing to cover the costs of instrument calibration, sensor use & depletion.

Significant and impressive progress has been made in sensing instruments, we are getting much closer to the day when an IEP will be able to use one instrument like Spock in Star Trek to analyze an indoor or the outdoor environment.

Today’s Music: “Every Measurement You Take” by Bill Nye the Science Guy

Z-Man Signing Off

Episode 205

Elliot Steps Up

With the understanding that he was speaking for himself and not his firm (AQS), Dr. Elliot Horner agreed to take on the subject of USGBC’s LEED program and its critics on today’s episode of IAQradio. An advocate of the program, Elliot’s bio has the letters LEED AP after his name along with FAAAI and PhD. Elliot is a glass half full kind of guy, who feels that the LEED building has both warts and merit. Dr. Horner’s interest in LEED is in the IAQ aspects of the program, indoor emissions in particular.

Nuggets gleaned from today’s show:

·        LEED “APs”, accredited professional that have demonstrated a level of understanding of building systems. APs will in the future be required to become practitioners. LEED seemingly provides economic opportunity by awarding LED points for projects coordinated by “APs”

·        LEED awards points for on the following factors: energy, water, site, materials/resources and IAQ. Like most of the IAQradio audience, I was surprised to learn that competition for allowable points existed with the LEED point system. Elliot opined that IAQ isn’t getting the respect that it deserves and expressed disappointment that in the revision to the LEED rating system, points allowable for IAQ went down.

·         LEED currently encourages between design and greater efficiency, in the future Dr. Horner wishes for more emphasis on IAQ

·        On the challenges of obtaining consensus in LEED and standards writing activities, consensus is when the fewest number of people finding an issue to be highly objectionable.

·        Point chasing- engineers are interested in activities or design functions that obtain LEED points, these design features and functions may be counterproductive not provide a benefit and even have adverse consequences and still qualify for points.

·        In science there needs to be an agreement on terms. There is major inconsistency in the use of the term green. Sustainable is a less ambiguous than green. When there isn’t an agreement on terminology, the next best thing is for people to state what they mean by it when they use the term green.

·        Great comment by a listener, who suggested that the Department of Energy and the EPA perform a baseline study on LEED buildings.

·        IAQ award points on VOCs are for reducing the content of VOCs in building materials not emissions from materials. Reduction of VOC content in materials is beneficial to outdoor air, reduction in emissions is benefits indoor air.

·        If it survives? Dr. Horner seemed genuinely concerned about the survivability of the program. LEED is a work in progress. Offered a wonderful analogy: “ there is a horse with a broken leg, Henry Gifford wants to get a rifle and I want to call a veterinarian.”

·        Horner does agree with Gifford that direct measurements of energy consumption is preferred over estimated energy savings, that similar buildings should be pooled together for study, that comparison of median to average is fuzzy math.

 “U.S. Green Building Council The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.” What’s this all about?

A Mini Z-Man Rant- I’m speaking for myself, not IAQradio and our sponsors.   “MUS” is an acronym I coined for made up stuff and/or made up science. MUS irritates me. My definition of GREEN is the indication of spoilage and decay of our society. I know that along with opportunity comes opportunism. Something stinks and is rotten about tax breaks for energy efficiency buildings that may be energy efficient on paper but not in practice. Tax rebates for overpriced under efficient hybrid cars, when in 2009 and 2010 the most fuel efficient vehicles were turbo diesels. Financial incentives given for supposed energy efficiency design features that result in negative effects and consequences. Government mandated use of green products that cost too much and perform too little. A great minority of people in politics and government ever held a job or owned a business and yet they are confident that they somehow know what’s best for us? Look at CFL light bulbs, why can’t our government admit they don’t function well in many applications and reverse their decision? I opine and predict that LEED is considered by many, too big to allow to fail.

Dr. Horner handled the interview with a great deal of class and grace.

Today’s music: When I Get To The Green Building By Electric Six and  a very cool new musical find-- Green Song  By Shawna Coronado with Ricky Rolon

Listeners of the Christian persuasion: our best wishes for a Glorious Easter or a Joyous Passover!

Z-Man Signing Off

Episode 204

He Loves Action and Hates Drama

“I’m an adrenaline junkie who loves action and hates drama”, says Sam Bergman, CEO of the Rolyn Companies. Sam’s training and experience as a paramedic and in emergency command and control prepared him well for his next career in disaster restoration. In their leadership roles in one of the nation’s largest and most successful disaster restoration and reconstruction firms, Sam and his brother Ron need to be good at many things: hiring, pricing, estimating, negotiating, project management, etc. From my vantage point and experience with him, what Sam excels at is networking.

Nuggets mined from today’s show:

• His firm is beholding to the property owner not the insurance carrier and has been highly successful doing so. He’s proud that Rolyn isn’t on any insurance company’s preferred contractor program.
• In doubt about the presence of asbestos sample, “it’s not that expensive.” “When you are unsure whether there are asbestos containing materials in a wetted work site, running dehumidifiers is OK but don’t run air-movers.”
• On pricing- although the costs for the material are the same, the price to remove and replace crown molding in a residential home and a commercial building can be significantly different due to site conditions and burdens.
• On fear- “I don’t get scared, I get cautious”.
• “I don’t live on an island, I’m not afraid to call for help.”
• Have a Tool Box Talk, safety meeting and briefing with employees on jobsites.
• He advises every commercial building to have a disaster recovery plan,” the time to exchange business cards isn’t at 2AM.”
• Importance of prior planning, obtaining the necessary contracting license, vendors, joint venture partners, subcontractors, etc, before he needs it.
• He’s a believer in, advocate of and has successfully used ozone and hydroxyl radicals as remediation tools on high profile restoration projects.
• He’s discovered cold plasma activated hydrogen peroxide for high level disinfection in hospitals and other areas.

Hospital Acquired Infection is a serious health problem, at a financial cost of 35-45 billion annually and 100,000+ lost lives. Have you ever been to a hospital that wasn’t under construction or renovation? Prevention of cross contamination during demolition, and dust generating activities such as sanding is of significant concern.  Hospitals need skilled consultants and workers who can follow strict infection control and prevention protocols. Restoration and remediation contractors have the skill-sets, experience and much of the required equipment to diversify into a business area that is not dependent upon insurance carriers. The matrix can be obtained at: http://www.ashe.org/advocacy/organizations/CDC/pdfs/assessment_icra.pdf,  and additional information found at www.jointcommission.org (JCAHO) and www.apic.org.

Sam knows how to zap you back to life with a defibrillator and how to get a client a fair settlement on a property damage claim, both very useful skills methinks.

Today’s music: “I will restore” by Morris Chapman

Z-Man signing off

Episode 203

Better Business

Eliyahu Goldratt  said “An expert is not someone who gives you the answer, it is someone that asks you the right question.” Business consultant Chuck Violand uses questions as a tool for development of mission statements- what get’s you up in the morning?, what keeps you awake at night? and what are you doing about it? Chuck advises that writing these things down, can relieve some of the stress, get matters out of the mind and onto paper and can slow down the mind so you can focus.

Nuggets mined from today’s episode:

Hardworking, creative and confident are valuable entrepreneur traits at business start-up time. Confidence can be beneficial while arrogance and hubris are detrimental.

Outgrowing the owner’s skill set is the most common business problem he encounters.

“Focus is easiest when your back is up against the wall you’ll look straight ahead.”

“Entrepreneurs are more likely to run into business problems when they have extra time and extra money.”

An entrepreneur’s high energy can have either positive or negative consequences on the business.

The entrepreneurs’ ego  becomes a problem when the entrepreneur is unwilling to objectively look at himself in the mirror.

 “Good leaders instinctively know and understand what they are good at and what they aren’t good at.”

“Entrepreneurs can simply blow steam or harness steam to power a locomotive.

Many entrepreneurs have Attention Deficit Disorder. Like a dog chasing cars, they chase the newest, latest and greatest and don’t know why.  The dog doesn’t know what to do when it catches a car. Good ideas often need time to mature.

Covey stuff- the importance of prioritization, first things first.

When an entrepreneurs’ role changes  in the they may default and go to their comfortable behaviors.

Book recommendation: “What got you here won’t get you there” by Marshall Goldsmith

Project Management – Take command of the chaos through organization, decision making, prioritizing with a process map. (Gantt Chart- bar chart illustrating a project schedule and important elements.)

The art of being awarded the project- includes thorough takeoff, presentation of proposals and negotiating skills.

4 Ps of Marketing- Position, Place, Promotion and Publicity.

Hiring high caliber people. What’s the most the employee can get out of the owner as a business leader.

The “Rug Chick” Lisa Wagner chipped in with 2 great comments: 1)  “entrepreneurs with ADD have the business plan in their head and in their DNA, not on paper.” 2) “Friends pay retail. Being too nice in business can may you go broke.

The highlight for me was Chuck’s response to Dieter’s comments on his overdue accounts receivable: “Entrepreneurs often consider accounts receivable money in the bank, too often the money is in the wrong bank.”

Comments and interaction during the show validated our decision to periodically delve into subject matter of a nontechnical nature.

Today’s music: “Business Time” by Flight of the Concords & “Taking care of Business” Bachman-Turner Overdrive

Z-Man Signing Off

Episode 202

The white paint was pink, so they knew something was wrong.

Whether agreeing with Sue Smith of MidAtlantic Environmental Hygiene Resource Center that yes he was the perfect person to put a mold remediation course together or reminiscing about his stints working for the NJ Dept. of Labor or OSHA Mike McGuinness enthusiastically has the knack for inserting his personality and wit into his practice of indoor environmental quality and health consulting.

Nuggets gleaned from today’s show:

• OSHA is still enforcing 1971 exposure limits, inspectors can navigate around the exposure ceilings by using the General Duty Clause.
• Industrial hygiene is the recognition, evaluation and control of stressors
• Mike 4 P’s of what IEPs and remediators should be concerned about: People, Pollutants, Pathways & Pressures
• Certification credentialing: The primary value of industry credentials is for marketing purposes. The alphabet soup of certification letters after a practitioner’s name provides the opportunity for the practitioner to charge the public (who doesn’t know what the letters stand for) more money. The primary value of industry credentials is for marketing purposes. It should take hard work to earn credentials.
• Reduction to the absurd
• IEQ in schools- children’s exposure levels are unique, variable occupancy, labs as sources of pollution, vocational training work areas as sources of pollution need to be considered. Each addition to an existing school building should be considered viewed and considered as a separate building.
• Remediators should have an emergency response plan for every project.
• Remediators should keep a fire extinguisher inside every containment.
• Owners of remediation companies spend the training money on themselves and their supervisors and too often don’t invest in adequate training for their employees.
• Post Remediation Verification: Much can be learned about a remediation project by characterization and culturing of settled dust. “Dust analysis is a better way to sample air, than to sample air.”
• When queried about ERMI (Environmental Relative Moldiness Index) he opined that it is “a great moneymaker for labs.”
• In a addition to a grasp of the science: common sense, communication skill and the ability to resolve conflicts are traits of a good IEP.

Dieter, added anticipation to the industrial hygiene mantra of: recognize, evaluate and control.

For me, Mike’s memorable stories from his stints working for NJ Dept. of Labor and as and OSHA inspector were my favorite part of the interview. “The white paint was pink so they knew something was wrong.” A worker was also missing. The failure to Lock Out and Tag Out a mixing tank in which a worker was repairing equipment resulted in a fatality and the discoloring of a large batch of paint with human remains. Or coincidentally driving by a plant when an industrial explosion occurred and showing up at the plant gate within 60 seconds of the explosion, where the guard said “you guys are good!”

Mike was an educational and fun interview.

Today’s Music: “Industrial Hygiene Research During WW II USPHS” YouTube

Z-Man Signing Off

Episode 201

Z-Man Signing Off

Episode 200

Bob’s dream

People engaged in the disaster repair industry began meeting together to share information in the early 1970s. For over four decades, practitioners of the trade of disaster damage repair often felt that they haven’t gotten the respect that the trade deserves, that has changed. Now the art and science of disaster repair can be studied at the collegiate level at Purdue University. The program was the brainchild of Bob Bonwell, a purveyor of cleaning equipment in Indianapolis, Indiana. Bob didn’t just conceive the idea; he organized a group of 9 other individuals and firms from within the disaster restoration field to commit to endowing the necessary funds to Purdue ($1,500,000 total). A benefactor of Purdue provides matching funds.

Dr. Randy Rapp, is the man with primary responsibility for developing, coordinating and delivering Purdue Universities Disaster Restoration and Reconstruction Management Concentration (DRR). Randy was our guest on the 200th episode of IAQradio.

This show was special because we wanted to highlight the good work the disaster restoration field does and the important difference they make.

Nuggets gleaned from today’s show:

·        According to Dr. Rapp, time and psychology are the two factors that differentiate disaster repair from general construction.

·        Practitioners of disaster repair must respond rapidly and have an enthusiastic sense of service; helping people in need.

·        The DRR program is small and will grow. Graduates should find work in construction, facilities maintenance, disaster restoration, insurance, government, etc.

·        Perhaps the DRR program will be offered online?

·        A textbook used in the course, “Introduction to Natural & Manmade Disasters and Their Effects on Buildings” by Roxanna McDonald might be a good read and reference book to have in your library.

Dr. Weyel provided encouraging words, recounting the days when he was one of only four students in the University of Pittsburgh’s industrial hygiene program.

Today’s Music “We Didn’t Start The Fire” by Billy Joel Z-Man Signing Off

 Episode 199 Scott Rosenzweig

Creative solution to germy payphones starts multimillion dollar company

“W.L. Morrison thought he was simply returning a routine call to a physician who was looking for help designing a system to keep disposable medical products clean and fresh longer. As they talked about infection control in the medical environment, the M.I.T. - trained entrepreneur noticed the telephone receiver in his hand and thought of the potential for contamination on the average public pay phone and how it might be controlled. This one question led to the development of the first antimicrobial polymeric products for both medical and consumer applications.

In 1994, Microban was founded by three biomedical engineers who refined Morrison’s original work and transitioned his ideas from the laboratory to the real world. Through proprietary processes they developed a way to engineer antimicrobial ingredients into solid products. The result was the development of antimicrobial solutions that give consumer, industrial and medical products an added level of protection against damaging microbes such as bacteria, mold and mildew that can cause stains, odors and product deterioration.

And in 1996, the company began marketing the benefits of antimicrobial product protection under the Microban® brand, modeling the success of other early ingredient brands such as Nutrasweet®, Lycra® and Teflon®. Today, Microban licenses use of the Microban trademark to more than 150 companies around the world and Microban technology is built-into over 1000 products, including kitchen and bath products, apparel and home textiles, appliances, building materials, foodservice products, medical products and others.”

Scott Rosenzweig, SVP of Business Development at Microban International (MBI) and an expert in branding and licensing discussed his firm’s business with IAQradio listeners. MBI is a true business success story of overcoming the marketing challenge of selling a product that can’t be seen, smelled or touched. Adding Microban product protection to existing products adds perceived value and brand differentiation in competitive markets. Are you among the 42% of the US population that is familiar with the Microban brand?

Nuggets mined from today’s episode: 

• Adding antimicrobial protection to products isn’t as easy as it might sound.  Significant engineering and testing involved to confirm product performance and antimicrobial efficacy. Two types of testing are utilized: qualitative which can be visibly seen with the naked eye and quantitative which needs to done with microscopy.
• Microban protection is more than a simple preservative. Preservative protect products from the time of manufacture until use. Microban protects products from the time of manufacture until used and then the protection actively continues to perform on the surface of materials.
• MBI uses  a variety of antimicrobial technologies both organic and inorganic including: zinc, silver, triclosan. The protective treatment extends throughout the entire matrix of a many solid materials such as plastics.
• Biofilm is the firm’s biggest technical challenge.
• MBI operates under close governmental oversight by EPA and FDA.
• Few successful businesses can entirely escape controversy. Who would have guessed that there is 3 times more triclosan in a tube of toothpaste than is present within a Rubbermaid bath mat with Microban protection? “NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations), use junk science to get their way or make their message known. “
• “Vomit all over them.”The highlight of the show for me was when Scott was asked for marketing and branding advice and he cautioned against sales personal going into autopilot and “vomiting their company’s sales pitch all over the potential customer” Listen to your customers needs. Help your customers resolve problems and become more successful.

Growing sales are proof positive that citizens of the world desire cleaner products; MIcroban brand product protection works and is safe, check out the website at www.microban.com and see the business thoroughbreds that MBI counts among its customers.

Today’s Music:  Microban Overview Video  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlqvwL5jlDw

Z-Man signing off

 Episode 198 Barry Westbrook, CIH

A close shave with Occam’s Razor

Today’s guest on IAQradio, Barry Westbrook, PE, CIH cited Occam’s Razor “simplest solutions are often correct” and practices is it in his indoor air quality consulting business:

Dieter, commented don’t under estimate the role of UV light plays in damaging roof shingles. John Lapotiare, suggested that listeners check out WUFI moisture engineering software available from ORNL (Oakridge National Laboratory).

Today’s Music: “Growing Mold” by the Radioactive Chickens

Z-Man signing off

Nuggets mined from today’s show:

• CMHC has developed many creative solutions for energy savings, safety, Sensing indicators, alarms, fireplace pillows to block smoke odors when fireplace isn’t burning, etc.
• Don upholds the belief that homes and other buildings contribute to climate change and is passionate about zero energy houses, housews which produce the energy that they require. According to Don the goal for Equilibrium housing is to: constructing homes which use zero energy, that are environmentally sound, have good IAQ, are good places to live and are affordable to buy. Zero energy homes incorporate techniques such as: thorough insulation (R50-R60 walls, R80 attics, R20 foundations), active and passive solar, and photovoltaic roofing tiles. Zero energy houses are attached to the electrical grid and sell excess power to the utility company. Contractors are becoming more proficient and are with experience gained are learning to lower their construction costs.
• Combustion producing devices are often vented into chimneys, when the chimney fails to effectively evacuate the gases combustion spillage occurs. Dumping combustion gases and particulate into houses resulting in health problems. Powerful exhaust fans, down drafts can cause combustion spillage.
• The thermal mass of a home resistance to cold weather was proven when a CMHC researcher accompanied security teams into unoccupied houses after a severe winter storm in the dark triangle southeast of Montreal.
• Methods for removal of snow and ice dams from roofs include: snow blowers to remove snow on flat roofs, chain saws to cut ice, non corrosive salts, *portable deicing cables which can be positioned with poles to melt through ice dams, and spraying with hot water work best.
• Pressure neutral house where air pressure inside a house that is equal to the atmospheric pressure outside the house is a desirable condition.
• Straw bale houses? I was unaware of the utility and prevalence of houses constructed from straw bales. There are two types: load bearing straw bales and the non load bearing variety that rely upon post & beams. Most problems with the homes in North America have been caused by inexperienced owner builders. As a city boy, I didn’t know the difference between hay and straw.
• If Don had a career mulligan it would be making sure that more of CMHC’s research would have been peer reviewed so that it would be taken more seriously.
• Check out the website and find useful information at www.cmhc.ca

Today’s music: “O’ Canada” by DuBay Band

Z-Man signing off

Episode 196 Larry Robertson

Environmental Lab Pioneer

On today’s broadcast of IAQradio. RadioJoe and I had the pleasure of interviewing Larry Robertson, a real pioneer with over two decades of experience in IAQ research and services. Larry founded Mycotech Biological, Inc one of the first environmental labs that specialized in the identification of fungi. Larry was an IAQA founding board member and the organization’s first President. His company was based in Texas, epicenter of the “mold craze”.  In helping to resolve litigation, Larry provided expert witness testimony in 250 mold cases a year.

Nuggets gleaned from today’s show:

·         HVAC Cleaning and IEQ. Larry holds firm opinions on HVAC systems cleaning disagreeing with a recent study concluding that no compelling scientific evidence exists about an association between air duct cleaning and improved IEQ. Larry opined that that HVAC systems cleaning when properly formed can have a positive effect on the indoor environmental quality. He commented that no compelling scientific evidence exists that vacuuming a bedroom improves IEQ either; pointing out that the HVAC system study was flawed because the researcher looked only at cleaning the duct system not the entire system. Larry stressed the importance of: 1) containment, 2) source removal cleaning techniques and 3) particulate capture equipment. Larry reminded listeners that the term bioaerosol was coined as the result of the Legionaire’s disease outbreak in Philadelphia.

·         Texas Mold Licensing. Larry provided behind the scenes gained during his involvement with the writing and legislative passing of Texas Mold Licensing. According to Larry, it wasn’t pretty as lobbyists representing the insurance industry, home builders, etc. weighted into the process. The pendulum has swung and predicts it will be some time until it swings back. The Texas Mold Licensing Bill was the result of “a few bad apples spoiling the barrel.” The actions of a few unscrupulous consultants, remediators and inspectors who intentionally increased and escalated mold claims with ridiculous and unscientifically sound recommendations tainted the legislative process resulting in passage of a Texas Mold Licensing Law that doesn’t protect the citizens of the Lone Star State against the hazards of mold but rather protects citizens from being preyed upon by mold remediators, mold consultants and mold laboratories. While the laws doesn’t require cleaners, insurance repair & restoration firms and builders who commonly encounter mold are not required to be licensed it does require licensing for: mold remediation firms, consultants (IEPs) and mold labs. Texas was the first state to institute licensing for the mold industry. Texas didn’t recognize the contributions of the IAQA. Licensees are required to take a Texas Course,  pass a beefy Texas Exam test with an 80% score (70% is required for other Texas licenses) and be subject to paying fines for violations such as: workers caught not wearing PPE or when a remedial start or stop date is missed.

·         Certification. College degrees don’t require continuing education while many certification programs do. Profoundly commenting that certification groups have two options in developing certification programs: don’t dilute and build a strong certification program such as CIH  or offer many certifications ala IICRC and ACAC.

·         Get involved,  it’s your industry!

·         Tip for remediators: be cautious about recommending measures that are too extreme!

·         Tip for consultants: because consultants wanted and needed faster analysis of mold samples, labs trended away from culturing to spore trap technology. Be aware that questions have emerged regarding the precision of the analytical process of spore trap analysis.

As a member of the IAQA we express our gratitude to the founders of the organization: Dean Ellis, Rick Watson, Nick Willocks and Chuck Walker an early board member. RadioJoe, Stone Cold and I were glad that we could honor Larry’s industry friend with an impromptu playing of taps.

Today’s Music: “Growing Mold” by the Radioactive Chickens

Z-Man Signing Off

Episode 195 John Shulte, Ex. Director NADCA

Bait & Switch advertising

On January 31, 2011 Air Duct Cleaning Scammers were exposed on national television. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) participated in the undercover investigation by Dateline NBC to expose companies that use bait and switch tactics to take advantage of consumers. IAQradio appreciates John Shulte (Executive Director of the National Air Duct Cleaner’s Association) for pinch hitting while our scheduled guest Buck Shepard (President of NADCA) tended to a business emergency. Both John and Buck were onsite when the segments were being filmed.  John’s comments about the behind the scenes making of the show were engaging.

Bait and switch advertising occurs in retail sales, consumer lending, service businesses such as duct cleaning, carpet cleaning, etc. The bait is an alluring low price and the switch happens when the salesmen claims that the low price product isn’t available and tries to persuade the customer in spending much more. The 16 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations ) Part 238 defines the terms and provides the basis for determining if a sales offer is bona fide, interestingly including the use of compensation plans which penalize salesman from selling the low price offer.

Nuggets mined from the show:

·        When something seems too good to be true it likely is.

·        Consumer’s need to do some research on the product or service they are purchasing and check company references.

·        Trade association’s often have member codes of ethics.

·        Consumer’s need to resist being coerced into. 

·        If it doesn’t feel right, get a second opinion.

·        Do the right thing, even if the customer isn’t looking the hidden cameras may be recording.

Glenn Fellman’s observed that the trade of HVAC systems cleaning maybe coming of age, as the Dateline segment didn’t comment on the validity of the duct cleaning as a service but rather the firms who were cheating consumers.

The financial predators that prey upon and victimize the elderly, many of whom suffer from health problems and are on limited incomes, are particularly despicable and worthy of our scorn.

Z-Man Signing Off 

Episode 194 Jeff Cross, Senior Editor Cleanfax Magazine

Triple Cross

A significant percentage of the IAQradio listening audience is rooted in the professional cleaning industry. This week’s IAQradio guest Jeff Cross, Senior Editor of Cleanfax magazine provides the best mechanism for us to tap into it. Jeff is on the go,  attending every industry convention, trade show, IICRC board meeting and monitoring the dialogue on one of the industry’s most active bulletin boards.

Nuggets mined from this week’s show;

·        Cleanfax magazine and the publication’s archives are excellent sources of technical information for professionals in the cleaning, insurance repair, microbial and environmental remediation and indoor environmental consulting fields.

·        Carpet cleaning as a discretionary expense suffers when the economy is poor.

·        Wall-to-wall carpet has lost some market share to hard surface flooring, especially tile & grout. Wall-to-wall carpet is easier to maintain than ceramic tile.

·        Carpet cleaners are an independent bunch and don’t like being told what to do by organizations such as CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute). CRI is perceived by the cleaning industry as Big Fiber meddling in cleaning industry affairs with their Seal of Approval certification program and testing of cleaning equipment and cleaning chemicals.

·        The value of GPS for service businesses, improve routing efficiency and employee honesty. Service employees will be more likely to do the right thing when they know someone is watching.

·        Carpet cleaners have differing approaches to green. Some use green chemicals and more energy efficient equipment; while the business savvy cleaners use advertizing that targets consumer’s growing awareness of green.

·        Advertising Club, Jeff’s Totally Booked University a marketing workshop where he brings cleaners together cost effectively in a moderated format.

·        During the show a consumer texted in a request for our opinion on Hydroxyl Radical Air Purifiers? This begged my posing the question why are you considering purchasing one? It’s human nature to seek the fast, easy, inexpensive resolution to a tough problem like weight loss. We all know what it takes to lose weight, yet millions of us by the pills, diets and workout equipment.

Jeff Cross is an all around good guy and one of those people that everyone likes. Jeff is an excellent journalist; he is fair and balanced never letting the story get the best of him by allowing his personal opinion or emotion to affect his coverage of an industry worthy news story. Today was Jeff’s third appearance as a guest on the show.

Today’s Music: “Mr. Clean theme song”

Z-Man signing off

Episode 193  Mark J. Mendell, Ph.D.

"The association of residential dampness and mold with respiratory tract infections and bronchitis" 

Today’s guest on IAQradio, Mark J. Mendell, Ph.D. splits his work time between Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the California Dept. of Public Health.

Along with co-contributors W.J. Fisk and E. Eliseeva, Dr. Mendell published an article titled “Association of residential dampness and mold with respiratory tract infections and bronchitis: a meta-analysis”.

Nuggets mined from today’s episode: 

• Qualitative review is what we know altogether; qualitative reviews support conclusions without providing specific numbers.
• Quantitative review is a number weighted study summarized in a specific number for each relationship.
• Ventilation influences, either positively or negatively, health effects related to indoor environments.
• Moisture and dampness in indoor environments is the one issue that researchers know most about.
• Respiratory infection is the most common health symptom related to dampness in buildings. Respiratory inflammation involves either the upper or lower respiratory tracts. Acute (short term) inflammation is caused by infection, colds and flu. Chronic (long term) inflammation is not caused by infection and is caused by environmental tobacco smoke, fumes and other environmental exposures.
• Otitis media are inflammations of the middle ear. Dampness increases these inflammations and is consistent with a finding of an association between dampness and otitis media.
• If you see dampness, see mold, smell mold there is a 40%-50% probability of the building occupants developing a health problem.
• In litigation, the paper “Association of residential dampness and mold with respiratory tract infections and bronchitis: a meta-analysis” may be aid for the defense as it concludes that no causality has been established.
• There is no basis for using mold measurements to decide health issues in buildings.
• The Stacybotrys and mycotoxin health effects argument has not been established.
• IEPs can find a summary of what we know about IAQ www.iaqscience.lbl.gov
• Studies find random answers around the true answer they seek.
• Scientific researchers need to improve efforts in making their scientific research useful.
• Dieterisms: An association is different than proof. Applying a statistic to any set of data always results in an association. How good is the association?