Hazardous Building Materials
Building systems maintenance, renovation, and loss repair can be daunting, time-consuming, expensive, and disruptive to operations within the building.
Legal and social liability can be complicated by issues that many professionals may not be well versed in. Hazardous Building Materials and various types of Biological Contamination where some may struggle.
The phrase “Hazardous Building Material” encompasses a wide array of building materials utilized during past construction and renovation work across most industries in Canada. Hazardous building materials utilized Canada include:
- Asbestos
- Lead
- Mercury
- Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB’s)
- Refrigerants
- and Urea-Formaldehyde foam insulation.
Increased awareness and concern for worker and occupant safety coupled with legal liability and environmental responsibility can add complications to any activity that might disturb and release these materials into the workplace or the outdoor environment.
Hazardous building materials can pose a significant health risk not only to workers but also to building occupants and the outdoor environment when deteriorated, incorrectly handled and improperly disposed of. Hazardous building materials are restricted and only experienced, qualified personnel should be utilized to identify, and dispose of these materials.
Teknicon Abatement and Consulting can provide your group with the knowledge, training and experience needed to safely address these issues.
Teknicon delivers results, not excuses.
Biological Contamination
Biological contamination is another potential concern that may be found during any stage of normal business operations, renovation, or demolition.
Many types of biological contamination may be present. These include:
- Animal related such as hantavirus from Deer mice.
- Pigeon droppings
- Bat guano
- Fungal spores leading to Histoplasmosis.
- And more.
The most common biological contamination found in any type of property or work sight is Fungal growth.
If any of the above are suspected, a test sample can be taken to determine the proper course of action. Properly interpreting exactly what the laboratory data indicates and the impact of said samples on workers, tenants or users of a property, can be complicated and should be carefully addressed.Fungal organism are of particular concern - These may include fungi such as:
- Stachybotrys sp (toxic black mold)
- Chaetomium sp
- Fusarium sp
- and others. can have a serious and immediate impact on your short and long term health.
Most properly researched fungal organisms have known allergenic properties but some like those above can also have pathogenic and toxigenic properties posing a more significant immediate and long-term health risk.
Safe, properly conducted fungal remediation efforts can be more complex and may require an inspection of both exterior building envelope issues and a thorough inspection throughout the impacted indoor areas. Teknicon can provide those skills as we have building envelope crews that can address exterior water incursion pathways and personnel that can address the indoor environment issues.
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Teknicon can provide the various professional trade services, inspections, reporting and remediation efforts your projects warrant: all conducted by our experienced and qualified personnel. Teknicon regularly assists our clients with projects from start to finish involving hazardous building materials or biological contamination projects. Please feel free to contact Teknicon with any questions you might have or to initiate a project.
Teknicon delivers results, not excuses.
Contact Us Today
Teknicon delivers results, not excuses.