It has become relatively clear that, for now, the supply chain issues brought on by COVID-19 have largely passed. That said, it could be argued that we are entering a new age of scarcity. Dwindling resources, population growth, labor shortages, global conflict, and the proliferation of catastrophic events have all converged to create the perfect storm currently making landfall on our supply chain. It is possible, even likely, that in the future, what you need may not always be readily available.

As we all learn to live differently, you, as a contractor or remediation specialist, must also learn how to do more with less. It isn’t always raw materials; it could also be equipment or personnel. It takes creative problem-solving to do this job and to do it well.

The first installment of this series primarily covered the “why” of using containments. This article is designed to provide the reader with an explanation of developing your containment options. This will represent a combination of tried-and-true approaches that many professionals in the asbestos, lead, mold, blood-borne pathogen, and drug lab cleanup industries already use, along with techniques that must be integrated into various industries. In short, the readers will leave with at least one new takeaway or be reminded of the importance of some technique that may still be useful but has fallen out of favor. We present the information here in ascending order, from the most common containment-building methods to the more innovative ones.

Plastic affixed to surfaces with poles, spray adhesive, and tape

An example of a decon chamber.

Since the purpose of containments is to control contaminants and often to withstand the rigors of negative pressure, the barrier must be impermeable, fire retardant, and strong/durable. Afterward come things like ease of use/setup, light transmission, price, and availability. It depends on the application, but if you are setting up negative air, then the choice is clear; no less than four mil thickness on the plastic will likely survive the intense demands of this environment. More importantly, that minimum is required by various federal and state regulations related to asbestos and lead abatement.

The latest guidance regarding mold remediation includes another encouragement to move up to heavier plastic. According to the current ANSI IICRC S520 2015 edition, “containment systems normally consist of 6-mil polyethylene sheeting.” In high-risk situations where redundancy is required, it may be recommended that double-layered plastic be utilized. One layer is theoretically just as effective as two. However, one critical difference is that a single tear or puncture can compromise single-layer plastic containment.

With space in the truck already at a premium, how many types of plastic do you carry, and how much? When dealing with others to choose supplies, the decision is sometimes more complex than one would think.

When, where, and how to use poles as your basic framework can also be daunting. The larger the piece of hanging plastic, the more critical it is to have some structural support such as poles or framing. When to use the specialized aluminum extendable poles (often with spring-loaded tops to facilitate secure placement) can often be as simple as whether you have enough of them and if they are bent, broken, or missing critical parts. Poles also make the most sense when timber, steel, or inflatable barriers are in short supply.

Another consideration when using poles is whether negative pressure will be employed.

The critical distinction that must be kept in mind is that dust control is not the same as negative pressure containment. Because there is not as much stress on the barriers, poles are better suited to the lower standard of dust control. Another evaluation tool to decide on the use of poles is when the speed of set up and short duration of the barrier are key factors. It is also important to remember that a bit more training is required for crews that will construct wood or steel for plastic barriers.

Plastic affixed to sliding steel or temporary wooden framing for a compression fit

Sometimes you have to tape the containment to the wall.

Strictly speaking, both techniques are similar to compression poles. Temporary compression steel framing is typically constructed out of steel wall framing studs. Wooden framing, usually built from 2-x-2 inch or 2-x-4 inch lumber, can be screwed, nailed, or held in place with special corner brackets. Overall, such products provide a solid framework that takes most of the stress away from the attachments of small areas or adhesives and spreads it more evenly throughout the structure.

With proper thought and implementation, little to no additional damage will be caused, but some assembly is required. Think of these methods as the Ikea of containment without the super easy-to-understand instructions. Because all jobs are unique, these contaminants do not come in “kits.” You will have to shop for and stock volumes of materials or take the necessary time to identify the needed sections and custom shop for each containment setup.

Fewer professionals in the restoration industry are familiar with the techniques of setting up steel support structures. They are most useful when carpentry tools, the skill to use them, or the timber is in short supply. There are unique advantages of using metal wall studs, with one of the most important being that the process does not require measuring in the traditional way. Instead, the remediation technicians cut two pieces of steel studs that equal the gap they are trying to fill, plus an additional 15% to 20% per piece. Cutting the extra length will ensure sufficient overlap between the two pieces and allow enough material for screws to lock it together.

When setting up steel isolation barriers as vertical supports, nest the two pieces of steel stud to fit together like two letter “Cs.” Once nested, put them in place and slide them apart such that they push against the top plate and sill plate. Once the initial expansion of the steel assembly is set, move them aside and then slide the two pieces just slightly so that they are longer than they were. Now with a 1/8 inch or so extra, screw them together in that position and then push or tap them back into place. The extra “slide” that you affected will have made them just a bit too long for the gap, thus creating tension.

Doing the same thing with wood requires precise, oversized measurements, but not too oversized. And if you cut it too short, you will have to shim it or possibly try to use the beam in another part of the structure. All the rest is similar to compression poles or wood. One distinct advantage, however, is that, unlike poles and lumber, magnets are easily integrated to connect the plastic to the framework. Furthermore, although tape, foam, spray adhesive, etc., are all still often necessary, steel does offer some distinct advantages. Strength, cleanability, reusability, low weight compared with green studs, and magnetism are some of them.

Reusable inflatable modular barriers

Relatively new to the industry are modular inflatable barriers. Like all the other options, these come with advantages and disadvantages. Some apparent disadvantages are up-front costs and the 10-foot ceiling height limit. However, any containment constructed over 10 feet tall will require special care and consideration to ensure that it is sturdy enough, even when it is only serving as a simple dust barrier.

An example of venting contaminants out of a window.

One of the significant advantages of reusable inflatable modular barriers is the savings on consumables. While this may seem like a fake benefit to many in the United States today, look around the other areas of the globe where single-use plastic for everything from water bottles to sheet plastic for barriers is being curtailed for environmental or cost control reasons. Inflatable modular barriers can also be an economical alternative because of the savings in the far more impactful labor category. Labor is the highest single cost for any business, but the skillset of your crew is critical. It doesn’t matter how much it costs to build if you don’t have someone that has the time and skill to build it.

Reusable inflatable modular barriers provide a stark comparison with everything that preceded them. Unlike all other options for structural support discussed previously, it is an all-inclusive solution to containment. That is because the structure is combined with the actual barrier and is “kittified” to adapt to different heights and widths of openings that need to be sealed. Fully formed five-foot sections of containment stored and transported in small duffel bags, such as those made by AIRWALLS, allows the contractor to quickly construct isolation barriers in various settings without resupplying or stocking any consumables.

Because the inflatable barrier is actually four layers of protection, it far exceeds the isolation requirements of some protocols, even for highly sensitized individuals. The four barrier layers also provide sound-reducing properties and thermal resistance of R20 for unmatched insulating properties. They move far beyond dust control into the realm of complete environmental control.

As one of the newer containment techniques introduced to the restoration and abatement industries, many professionals need to become more familiar with their advantages. Modular inflatable barriers are easily set up with little instruction and no specialized training. They will not cause collateral damage to the building and do not require any consumables associated with the standard forms of containment, like tape, plastic, spray adhesive, and assorted hardware. They have few parts and go up fast and effectively. Most importantly, using inflatable barriers eliminates the single failure points plaguing traditional containment.

Additional tips and tricks

To finish this section, here are several additional ideas to assist with reconstructing containments, presented in no specific order.

A properly sized containment will help maintain effective negative air.

Make your own double-stick tape. Roll off two-three feet of tape, but do not tear it yet, let the roll hang there. Hold the end of the tape, sticky side away from you, in your left hand, with your index, middle, ring finger, and thumb. Your thumb will be pointing away from your body. Press your thumb toward your middle finger, grasp the rest of the roll with your other hand, and spin it. That’s it, double-stick tape.

Use spring poles to aid with the setup of stud framework. Especially when setting up sliding steel or wood containment, use the compression poles to hold your top plate and sill plate in place to get your measurements and place the vertical members.

Filtering replacement air and regulating negative air, with this simple technique. Tape a pleated filter to the plastic sheeting’s outside (clean) side, 12-x-12 inch minimum. Once secured, step inside the containment and cut a U-shaped flap approximately one inch smaller on the other side of the filter. You can adjust the negative pressure and airflow by taping the plastic flap to cover more or less of the filter. Inflatable modular barriers have this as standard equipment.

Cover critical barriers with speed and ease. For electrical outlets and switches, remove the cover plate, place an oversized piece of plastic over the outlet or switch, then replace the cover plate with the original screws. You may also choose to tape the edges of the plastic. Do not use this technique if the wall plates are otherwise sealed to the wall; instead, just tape over the surface of the wall plate, outlet, and switch.

Many other materials, such as prefabricated wall sections with adjustable top pieces, can be used for temporary containments. Regardless of the materials, the key is ensuring the containment barriers are secure and decently airtight. The third part of this series will focus on using temporary containments to minimize cross-contamination.

Mark Cornelius has been in the restoration industry for more than 38 years. He is president of Disaster Recovery Industries Inc. and owns Emergency Mitigation Technician Academy.

Keith Gangitano co-founded Zeppelin, a company with restoration containment solutions.

Michael Pinto serves as the CEO of Wonder Makers Environmental and has more than 45 years of experience in the industry.

The post The Components of Temporary Containments appeared first on Cleanfax.

The IICRC S590 Standard describes the procedures to perform HVAC assessments and create a written report and remediation work plan for residential, commercial, institutional, and healthcare buildings. The document lists methods and procedures to determine visual deposition and odor retention. The revised draft is available for review and comment as part of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 30-day public review period until July 30.

Download the revised draft and submit your comments online here.

The post IICRC Seeks Input on HVAC Standard appeared first on Cleanfax.

For many years, the position in the industry has been pretty simple: “If you see mold, you don’t have to test for it; just remove it.” To date, of the states that require licensing in the mold industry, only Florida requires sampling to be a part of the mold assessment process, and that regulation only applies when there are more than 10 square feet of visible mold. At NORMI (the National Organization of Remediators and Microbial Inspectors), our opinion is that this practice of not testing for mold has led to many unnecessary and expensive remediation projects. There are several good reasons why mold (or suspect mold) should be tested in every case, without exception.

To test … or not to test?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a published document we often quote in our classes that takes an unsettling position on the subject. The one-page document begins by stating, “If you see mold, remove it; no need for testing.” However, in the very next sentence, it says, “If litigation is possible, or there are concerns about health, testing might be necessary.” As we know, litigation is almost always possible, and our clients’ health is often an issue.

The most alarming statement of all is found in the last paragraph of the EPA document, where it reads:  “To determine the difference between dirt, mold, or other substances, testing might be necessary.” So, the only way to tell for certain if you are dealing with a mold problem is to test. If that’s true, doesn’t it make sense to know whether you are dealing with a mold problem before starting a multiple-thousand-dollar mold project?

Reasons to test

Here are a few good reasons why a professional assessor, restoration contractor, or mold remediator would want to test suspected mold:

Testing determines whether there is a problem. Testing what appears to be mold can substantiate the reason for implementing a remediation project and help determine whether to remediate or sanitize the surfaces. In our initial CMACMR (Certified Mold Assessor/Certified Mold Remediator) licensing class, we show a video where, in a “TV sting operation,” mascara is put on surfaces, and then professional mold assessors are asked to decide how to solve the problem. Only those who used some device to test, like an ATP luminometer, were able to say, “Not sure what it is, but it isn’t microbial.” Testing allowed them to determine whether there was even a problem, saving their customers thousands of dollars.

Testing proves the job was done correctly. Testing enables the contractor to create a baseline to which he might compare a PRV (post-remediation verification) sample proving the job was done correctly. Because we are dealing with what we cannot see, clean surfaces can only be considered “clean” when there is little or no evidence of microbial contamination, and that can only be done by testing. No matter how good your vision, no one can tell if it’s mold by simply looking, and we encourage clients to run from that kind of assessment.

Testing helps in the progress of the job. Testing can also be utilized by the contractor during the remediation project. We call this “interim testing,” confirming that progress is being made toward the final PRV or clearance. Using particle counters, ATP, and other methods, the professional can detect spikes in the contamination levels, possibly find breeches in containment, and identify other problems that might hinder the progress of the job. Interim testing is an effective way to help the professional stay on track and help his employees do a better job more quickly.

Testing reassures the client. Finally, third-party lab sampling is the only way to objectively prove to a client that the air and surfaces are now free from elevated levels of contamination. This both reassures the client and protects the professional from potential litigation. With proof that the job is correctly finished, the contractor is less likely to have issues with doubtful clients withholding final payment.

Final thoughts

It’s not clear to me why so many professionals have ignored the value of independent testing, but it’s certainly time to change the paradigm. To mitigate the liability, reduce the unnecessary waste of resources, and objectively confirm a positive outcome of the project, testing is needed and should be, in my opinion, required. And money—or who will pay for it—should not be the obstacle that keeps us from doing our jobs correctly. A good contractor will incorporate the costs somewhere in the project and save himself a lot of grief … and money.

For more information on the initial CMACMR licensing course (FL, LA, DC, TX, and NY) and other IAQ (indoor air quality) mold training opportunities, contact NORMI at 877.251.2296 or visit http://training.normi.org

CMAT-NORMI Certified Mold Assessment Technician is designed to train remediators and restoration contractors on the techniques used for pre-, interim, and post-sampling to ensure that projects are done correctly. Register with Jillian at The Experience.

The post Should You Test for Mold? appeared first on Cleanfax.

Silica dust or respirable crystalline silica (RCS) is a danger to most any front-line restoration worker, in addition to millions in other industries, due to silica’s presence in drywall, concrete, brick, mortar, stone, sand, and other common building materials. With asbestos, once we identify materials that contain asbestos, those materials must be handled only by licensed companies and certified personnel. Silica interaction, on the other hand, is not confined to a select few.

However, exposure to silica dust is just as dangerous as exposure to asbestos dust, and in both instances, there is a tremendous risk of being subjected to a cancer-causing dust. Both silica and asbestos are carcinogens. Inhaling RCS particles can cause several diseases including lung cancer, COPD, kidney disease, and, most infamously, silicosis, a deadly lung disease that makes taking in oxygen difficult.

OSHA lowered the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for silica to 50 micrograms (µg) per cubic meter of air in 2016, and before that time, the limit was much higher. Every time restoration workers cut, drill, sand, etc. into silica-containing material, they must be conscious of the potential for exposure and the means to limit their risks.

This article aims to provide restoration companies an overview of the risks associated with silica dust, special implications to the restoration industry, and means to keep workers safe and in compliance with OSHA regulations. This is part of a larger series on P.A.L.M.S. (Look for more articles in this series in upcoming issues.), which is an acronym used to discuss these contaminants of concern:

• PCBs/Pandemic
• Asbestos (March/April 2021 issue)
• Lead/Legionella
• Mold/Metals (Nov/Dec 2021)
• Silica.

Facing the restoration problem

Image courtesy of author. A city building labeled with silica damage.

Silica has a direct effect on restoration professionals because everything we touch may have implications concerning silica health hazards and regulatory compliance, specifically when we are cutting drywall (gypsum board, sheetrock, wallboard, etc.), as it contains silica.

In March 2016, OSHA published regulation on silica that specifies how silica-containing materials should be safely handled, providing the “Table 1 Example,” which details silica-related activities that take place on worksites. With this, OSHA provided safe work practices and the required minimal respirative protection for those activities. Table 1 contains the 18 most common worksite activities that put workers at risk of silica exposure, but it, unfortunately, does not include our industry’s biggest concern: drywall. In fairness to OSHA, it is difficult to include every possible task or activity that could take place on the worksite; however, this is obviously a very important one for the restoration industry.

Out of OSHA’s failure to include drywall in Table 1 emerged a question that the restoration industry continues to grapple with: Are the workers involved in restoration work being unnecessarily exposed to silica health hazards? An industry task force that included myself, Lee Senter, and many other restoration industry leaders have been working in an effort to determine what risk, if any, there are for the most frequent activities in the restoration industry. We conducted a pilot test throughout the U.S., with the assistance of IICRC Certified Firms, through which we have monitored workers’ exposure.

We observed the following: Provided the proper work activities, safe work practices, and engineering controls are used, we can alleviate unnecessary exposure to silica dust by the restoration industry in activities related to drywall. Namely the cutting, demolition, or general disturbance of drywall should not occur unless:

1. It is properly wetted.
2. The use of ventilation, filtration, and HEPA-filtered vacuums are employed.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we compiled our data and submitted it to OSHA for their review and critique with the request of adding it to Table 1. In June of this year, OSHA responded regarding our study on silica exposure potential and the recommended hazard control measures for the restoration industry, reporting that it was assessing comments and developing the best way forward, with plans to publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the issue by April 2022.

Adhering to OSHA silica regulation

Image courtesy of author.

In Standard 29 CFR 1926.1153, OSHA requires employers to limit worker exposure to RCS and stipulates the 50 µg PEL. To limit exposure, employers must either 1) use proper work practices and engineering controls laid out in Table 1 for other activities to ensure no dust is being generated, in which case no additional PPE would be required, or 2) use appropriate respiratory PPE to protect workers.

Throughout our task force’s pilot testing, we used silica-specific testing to collect air samples around workers’ breathing zones. Those samples were then sent to a certified laboratory that provided silica exposure results. If the result of testing showed more than 50 µg per cubic meter of respirable crystalline silica, then respiratory protection was necessary according to OSHA. If less than the PEL was found, then no respiratory protection was required.

In simple terms, if your work activities do not generate dust above the PEL, no respiratory protection is required by law. But how does one know? And how do you prove compliance to an OSHA inspector?

OSHA first asks, “Did you follow the methods described in Table 1? If workers are drilling through concrete, cutting a cement block, etc. on a jobsite they can easily refer to Table 1, document OSHA requirements were followed, and employ OSHA-required PPE to prove compliance. However, in the case of restoration workers, we cannot simply rely on Table 1 because our most commonly interacted-with silica-containing product, drywall, is not included. In this case, OSHA requires companies to either

1. Monitor and do testing like our task force did (using objective data)
2. Prove the activity is the same as activity you have previously monitored on a worksite in which you encountered the same materials and activities currently being employed (using historical data).

Using historical data is a bit tricky but not impossible. To use historical data on a project, it must be similar to the project you compare it to in every way: the work being done, how you perform the work, the materials you are working on, and the tools you are using. For example, the drywall must be the same drywall; your utility knife must be the same utility knife; etc. When we monitored on pilot sites, companies had to utilize the same engineering controls on both sites.

The task force’s studies showed that wetting the materials down and employing ventilation, filtration, and HEPA vacuuming sufficiently limited silica dust. If you’re diligent and recognize that, if the proper work practices are not utilized, you and your workers will be exposed to an extremely dangerous carcinogen, you can bring silica levels below the PEL and ensure worker safety.

Per OSHA, anyone who could potentially be exposed to silica should be trained in silica hazard awareness. This training covers silica OSHA regulations, work practices associated with exposure to silica dust, and the severe impact that dust could have on your health and the health of those around you.

Avoiding future issues

Don’t assume that, by continuing old-way practices, no exposure is occurring to you or your workers. In our task force’s research, we saw cases in which we did not expect our testing to detect any kind of silica in the air, but it did.

A company found to be in violation of OSHA rules on silica faces severe fines from OSHA and potential civil suits from employees. OSHA’s maximum penalty for serious and other than serious violations is $13,653 per violation, and the maximum penalty for willful or repeated violations is $136,532 per violation. These penalties reflect the irreversible nature of health effects associated with silica exposure. These consequences say nothing of the ethical and moral implications of endangering workers’ health that an owner whose company commits these violations must face.

The difficulty with silica (or asbestos exposure, for that matter) is that it does not produce acute, immediate effects. Instead, it produces chronic effects that may take years or even decades to show symptoms. You don’t want to find yourself later in life, kicking yourself, saying, “I wish I knew, and I wish I had protected myself and my workers from hazards.”

Restoration workers must recognize that the death toll and diseases from silica are quite extensive while primarily avoidable. It is important that we do our part to limit silica exposure in the restoration industry. It is crucial to acknowledge that the activities those in the industry perform have a hazard associated with them in silica and that silica in the lungs is just as dangerous as asbestos. Remember that the regulatory PEL is still not a “safe” level; it is simply permissible by law. Exposing workers to zero µg per cubic meter of RCS is a much better goal.

I recommend companies pay attention to all of the steps associated with potential exposure to silica dust. Provide anyone who could be exposed with proper training, implement proper work practices, use engineering controls, and rely on PPE when necessary. This is the only way to protect yourself and those around you from silica exposure.

Further reading:

• osha.gov/silica-crystalline
• cdc.gov/niosh/topics/silica

Mark Drozdov is known for his diverse work in environmental, health, and safety projects worldwide including HazMat remediation; industrial hygiene; hazard/risk assessment; and compliance training, certification, and audits. He actively contributes to the AIHA/RIA/IICRC Crisis-Response Joint Task Force, IICRC Board of Directors, ISO infection control and EHS standards, and AIHA government relations. Drozdov’s PALMS program is the go-to method for dealing with contaminants of concern. He has received multiple awards and commendations, including for his work at Ground Zero. Connect with him on LinkedIn or email him at mark.drozdov@cooper.edu.  

Amanda Hosey is the managing editor of Cleanfax. She has worked as an editor and writer for more than a decade, including seven years with Cleanfax. Reach her at amandah@issa.com.

The post The Silica Problem and Restoration Workers appeared first on Cleanfax.

F500 RANK/ FRANCHISE NAME	DESCRIPTION	INITIAL INVESTMENT
United Water Restoration Group Request Info	Water, fire, and mold restoration	$122K – $508K
# 84 PuroClean Request Info	Property damage restoration and remediation	$89K – $232K
# 16 Servpro	Fire, water, and other damage cleanup, restoration, and reconstruction	$217K – $271K
# 84 PuroClean Request Info	Property damage restoration and remediation	$89K – $232K
# 94 ServiceMaster Restore	Commercial/residential disaster restoration	$253K – $359K
# 109 Paul Davis Restoration	Insurance restoration	$192K – $517K
# 132 Rainbow Restoration	Indoor cleaning and restoration	$157K – $261K
# 153 1-800 Water Damage	Property restoration	$51K – $295K
# 333 All Dry Services	Water and mold remediation and restoration	$87K – $212K
# 366 Rytech Restoration	Water, mold, fire, and smoke restoration; Covid-19 sanitation	$135K – $171K
# 444 AdvantaClean	Residential and commercial restoration services	$167K – $258K
# 467 Prism Specialties	Restoration of electronics, textiles, documents, and artwork	$167K – $552K

The post Restoration Companies Recognized in Entrepreneur’s 2023 Fastest-Growing Franchises Ranking appeared first on Cleanfax.

Is it true that the one thing we as cleaners and restorers can’t guarantee is odor removal?

Cara Driscoll: Odor removal is difficult to guarantee for many, many reasons. Such as    animals that continue to urinate in the home after urine removal treatment. But this is the case also because psychological odors are impossible to remove; therefore, I tread cautiously when “guaranteeing” complete odor removal.

Mark Cornelius: In my opinion, as long as I know I can get to the source of the problem, I can guarantee that certain odors will be gone. With that said, I will give provisional warranties when it comes to odors.

Do disinfectants have any role in your odor remediation processes?

Cornelius: If you are cleaning something for an odor then you need to use a cleaner. If you are trying to inactivate, kill, or destroy a microorganism, then you use a disinfectant. If you have the odor of mold, then you have mold and need to address the actual problem. There are occasions when a disinfectant could be used for odor mitigation like pet urine or protein issues, but once again, almost every biocide is tested on previously cleaned nonporous surfaces. So, let’s get to cleaning and leave the disinfectants for the surfaces they were tested on.

Driscoll: My answer would simply be no. As Mark states, disinfectants are used to kill or inactivate microorganisms after proper cleaning. The basics of odor remediation are source removal and cleaning. I don’t see many instances where a disinfectant would be useful to remediate an odor.

Can you use aqueous CLO2 for source removal?

Cornelius: All oxidizers including liquid ones must have cleaning capabilities designed for the task at hand. If you have a heavy synthetic PIC residue and you are just using a liquid oxidizer (bleach, peroxide, CLO2) with no surfactant that can emulsify the gross contaminate then you are wasting your time.

All an oxidizer can do is oxidize the surface, or crust, blocking the remaining odor molecules from getting into the breathing zone of the occupant. Utilize an appropriate cleaner for the soil then engage a product such as liquid CLO2 for odors that your GPC can’t touch.

If the CLO2 product is formulated with a surfactant that will break down the target soil, then an all-in-one cleaner could be appropriate. Keep in mind that even most “one-step cleaner disinfectants” state you must first clean the gross contaminates from the surface then reapply the product for proper disinfectant activity.

How do you remove the carbon odor build-up after fires on the premises?

Cornelius: After the initial “knockdown” phase of a fire/smoke project, you are chasing the odor particles down to their gaseous (molecular) form. First, clean the large particulates off of surfaces.

The majority of the products on the market used for the cleaning and restoration industry incorporate chemistry to address the target problem, PIC (particles of incomplete combustion) in this case. Once the surface has been cleaned using a general-purpose cleaner, products can be applied that will address the odor a little more specifically.

People must understand that liquid products can only penetrate so deep into a surface due to the size of the water droplet. This is where gas phase deodorizers (ozone, hydroxyls, Clo2, and the like) come into play. These items address the remaining odors that may have gotten into pores or tough-to-reach areas.

For all we do, we have the basic four steps to follow:

• Step 1: Remove the source.
• Step 2: Clean the source area.
• Step 3: recreate conditions/penetration.
• Step 4: Seal.

If steps 1-3 are not properly followed for odor mitigation, it does not matter how much encapsulant or sealer they spray.

Driscoll: I would add or just reiterate that the fastest, most effective way to reduce carbon odor build-up immediately following smoke/fire damage is to ventilate the building and employ AFDs with carbon (charcoal) filters.

Some people have the perception that because something smells like roses or gardens and pine that it is cleaned. We should never replace one scent with another. What are your thoughts on that?

Driscoll: If someone believes that fresh linen or lemon or pine scents mean something is clean, then I can add those fragrances to my cleaning solutions. During my conversation with the customer, I ask if they prefer a fragrance or no fragrance at all.  Then, I understand and can manage their expectations of “clean.”

Cornelius: We as restoration contractors depend on deodorizers, but most fragrances are re-deodorizers/masking agents.

The only real benefit to using a “masking agent” is to address the psychological odor from the start. We should never use a masking agent, in my professional opinion. The restoration contractor can select respirator cartridges that would allow for organic vapors to be detected while filtering out the bad particulates. The client should not be smelling the bad smell once the contractor has taken possession of the work site because the client should not be in the danger zone.

I know that will never happen in our industry; however, we must stop using masking products from time to time to ascertain if we are making progress. If you do use them, use them as sparingly as possible.

The industrial plant I clean is 24/7/365. What can I do to help keep odor down, not necessarily eliminate it? My techs are in and out of restrooms twice a day. What can I teach them to do to help with odor mitigation?

Driscoll: Consider increasing or adding additional ventilation and/or the addition of charcoal filters to the air filtration system. Without the ability to truly clean surfaces, maintaining heavily used restrooms is difficult. Deodorizers can be added to busy restrooms in the form of scented urinal blocks, urinal mats, and toilet deodorizers. If the urine has made it to any components behind the tile, the smell can continue to come back.

Cornelius: Without knowing the cleaning protocols currently in place, it is very difficult to coach on any additional steps. Restrooms are tough to deal with when you have a limited clean time. When urine absorbs into items, especially grout lines, we do not really get the ability to perform the third step, which is recreate conditions/levels of penetration.

This is especially tough when this is a 24/365 facility. You can try to apply strong masking agents that will last between cleaning cycles, but that will probably attract complaints from the client. Not everyone likes the overwhelming smell of lemon or cherry.

If they could get the client to agree to shut one of the restrooms down for a day or two and the crew was able to properly address the problem, they might be able to get ahead of the odor mitigation issue. I stress, might be able to.

What do you do about urine-soaked wood flooring?

Cornelius: This is probably the easiest one to answer, but the client will not like it. Remove the wood floor, discard the wood floor, address the subfloor, and install a new wood floor after completing all the steps of cleaning and deodorizing. They will probably have to seal the subfloor.

Can you save a carpet pad that has been contaminated with urine? Or is it better to just replace it?

Cornelius: What is the value of the carpet? Is it a brand-new carpet and a brand new pet that has only had a couple of accidents, or is it 10-year-old carpet with a previous occupant with a pet?

Carpet underlay is cheap. If there are extensive pet spots throughout the room, then the spots are much larger than what they can see on the surface. I have never found cleaning the padding to be cost-effective. You are still going to have to reinstall the pad and the carpet as well as address the other issues like the subfloor. Replace it, don’t clean it unless you want complaints later.

Driscoll: For minor urine in carpet pads, one could use flushing and sub-surface extraction tools to rinse and remove the urine from the pad. Injecting oxidizers or enzymes into the pad is another option. But heavy urine damage requires removing the relatively inexpensive pad.

How do you remove odors from concrete?

Cornelius: How long has the odor-causing issue been present? I sound like a broken record. Step 1: Remove the source. Step 2: Clean the source area. Step 3: recreate conditions/penetration. Step 4: Seal.

When it comes to concrete, how long has the issue been there? If the problem is pet urine, for example, if the pet has been urinating in the same area for five years, there is no way I can recreate the conditions, unless they want me to move in with them. The likelihood is, as much as I avoid sealers/encapsulation, step 4 will happen 99% of the time due to the inability to complete step 3.

If it is a protein decomposition odor that has only been a few weeks, you might be able to address it with localized gaseous/liquid oxidizers and heat to open pores. The heat will speed up decomposition of odor molecules and open pores of the concrete allowing products to penetrate deeper. They may still have to incorporate step 4, however.

Driscoll: If odors are deeply set in concrete, use an epoxy sealer after thorough cleaning.

When do you know if it is best to discard or clean in a trauma situation?

Cornelius: You are going to have to consider multiple aspects. This is where economics come in to play. What is the item worth and how much will it be to clean it? Will the cost of cleaning it to the point that the item will be returned in a sanitary condition be worth it or not?

When it comes to the odor aspect, it is no different than any other odor. Once it has been cleaned, it should not smell. If it is a soft good, then once again gaseous/liquid oxidizers can be incorporated.

The restorer will have to have the client involved in determining the actual cost of an item to determine if there is any economics to it. In closing for this question, they should strongly consider taking the IICRC Trauma and Crime Scene Technician (TCST) course, purchasing the S540 Standard for Trauma and Crime Scene Cleanup, and reading it. In the S540, we discuss the ability to clean porous, semi-porous, and nonporous as well as saturation vs splatter, and transfer of biologicals.

Driscoll: My only comment on this one, as Mark states: Attend the TCST class, and read the S540. That will answer this question.

The post Odor Mitigation Strategies appeared first on Cleanfax.

• Jason Goh asked, “How do you remove the carbon odor build up after fires on the premises?”

Mark Cornelius:  Cara did answer this to some degree but we can elaborate further. After the initial “knockdown” phase of a fire/smoke project, you are chasing the odor particles down to their gaseous (molecular) form. First, clean the large particulates off of surfaces.

The majority of the products on the market used for the cleaning and restoration industry incorporate chemistry to address the target problem, PIC (Particles of Incomplete Combustion) in this case. Once the surface has been cleaned using a GPC (General Purpose Cleaner), products can be applied that will address the odor a little more specifically.

People have to understand that liquid products can only penetrate so deep into a surface due to the size of the water droplet. This is where gas phase deodorizers (ozone, hydroxyls, Clo2, and the like) come into play. These items address the remaining odors that may have gotten into pores or tough-to-reach areas.

If steps 1-3 are not properly followed it does not matter how much encapsulant or sealers they spray.

Cara Driscoll: I would add or just reiterate that the fastest, most effective way to reduce carbon odor build-up immediately following smoke/fire damage is to ventilate the building and employ AFDs with carbon (charcoal) filters.  

• Megan Hughes asked, “Is it true that the one thing we as cleaners and restorers can’t guarantee is odor removal?”  

Mark Cornelius: Cara said that she never guarantees anything when it comes to an odor. To expound on this question a bit, I understand where Cara and Megan are coming from, however, in my opinion as long as I know I can get to the source of the problem, I can guarantee that certain odors will be gone. With that said, I will give provisional warranties when it comes to odors.

Cara Driscoll: Odor removal is difficult to guarantee for many, many reasons (i.e. animals continue to urinate in the home after urine removal treatment).   But, this is the case also because psychological odors are impossible to remove, therefore I tread cautiously when “guaranteeing” complete odor removal.

• Paul Wimbert asked, “Can you use aqueous CLO2 for source removal?”  

Mark Cornelius: All oxidizers including liquid ones must actually have cleaning capabilities designed for the task at hand. If you have a heavy synthetic PIC residue and you are just using a liquid oxidizer (Bleach, Peroxide, CLO2) with no surfactant that can emulsify the gross contaminate then you are wasting your time.

All an oxidizer can do is oxidize the surface, or crust, blocking the remaining odor molecules from getting into the breathing zone of the occupant. Utilize an appropriate cleaner for the soil then engage a product such as liquid CLO2 for odors that your GPC can’t touch.

If the CLO2 product is formulated with a surfactant that will break down the target soil then an all-in-one cleaner could be appropriate. Keep in mind that even most “1 step cleaner disinfectants” state you must first clean the gross contaminates from the surface then reapply the product for proper disinfectant activity.

• Candido Rosario stated, “Some people have the perception that because something smells like roses or gardens and pine it is cleaned. We should never replace one scent with another.” What are your thoughts on that?  

Mark Cornelius: I actually addressed this topic in the webinar a bit. I stated that we as restoration contractors depend on “deodorizers, actually, we often use that word incorrectly, in that most fragrances are re-deodorizers/masking agents.” I said that we depend on masking agents from start to finish and that we never stop using them. We never have the ability to ascertain if our “deodorization techniques” actually worked or not.

To follow up additionally, the only real benefit to using a “masking agent” is to address the psychological odor from the get-go. In reality, we should never use a masking agent, in my professional opinion. The restoration contractor can select respirator cartridges that would allow for organic vapors to be detected while filtering out the bad particulates. The client should not be smelling the bad smell once the contractor has taken possession of the work site because the client should not be in the danger zone.

I know that will never happen in our industry, however, we have to stop using masking products from time to time to ascertain if we are making progress. The only other reason to use a pleasant fragrance is, and I know I definitely said this, “I can not remember who taught my odor control class years ago, however, in the presence of an unidentifiable odor or no odor at all the client will interject the malodor. So in short, use masking agents as sparingly as possible. ”

Cara Driscoll: If someone believes that fresh linen or lemon or pine scents mean something is clean, then I can add those fragrances (like Mark said, masking agents) to my cleaning solutions. During my conversation with the customer, I ask if they prefer a fragrance or no fragrance at all.   Then, I understand and can manage their expectations of “clean.”

• Julie Ticsay asked, “Do disinfectants have any role in your odor remediation processes?”  

Mark Cornelius: If you are cleaning something for an odor then you need to use a cleaner. If you are trying to inactivate, kill, or destroy a microorganism then you use a disinfectant. If you have the odor of mold, then you have mold and need to address the actual problem. I am pretty confident that Cara referenced the S520 talking about how it references source removal and doesn’t even mention using biocides. Additional thoughts: There are some times when a disinfectant could be used for odor control like maybe pet urine or protein issues, but once again, almost every biocide is tested on previously cleaned nonporous surfaces. So let’s get to cleaning and leave the disinfectants for the surfaces they were tested on.

Cara Driscoll: My answer would simply be no. As Mark states, disinfectants are used to kill or inactivate microorganisms after proper cleaning. The basics of odor remediation are source removal and cleaning. I don’t see many instances where a disinfectant would be useful to remediate an odor.

• Pepper Powell asked, “The industrial plant I clean is 24/7/365, what can I do to help keep odor down, not necessarily eliminate it? My techs are in and out of restrooms 2x a day, what can I teach them to do to help with the odors?”    

Mark Cornelius: Without knowing the cleaning protocols currently in place, it is very difficult to coach on any additional steps. Cara kind of came up with a protocol on the fly for this one. I commented that restrooms are tough to deal with when you have a 30-min clean time. When urine absorbs into items, especially grout lines, we do not really get the ability to perform step 3, recreate conditions/levels of penetration. Cara’s suggestion was to apply the proper products and allow an overnight dwell time.

This is especially tough when this is a 24/365 facility. He and his crews were probably already behind the preverbal eight ball from the get-go. His people are probably not doing anything wrong as it is. His people can apply all the products that they want typically, but they are not touching the source. They can try to apply strong masking agents that will last between cleaning cycles but that will probably attract complaints from the client. Not everyone likes the overwhelming smell of lemon or cherry.

If they could get the client to agree to shut one of the restrooms down for a day or two and Powell’s crew was able to throw everything including the kitchen sink at the problem they might be able to get ahead of the issue. I stress, might be able to. As Cara pointed out, if the urine has made it to any components behind the tile, the smell can continue to come back.

My last comment on this is that even if they get the client to agree to shut down a set of restrooms a couple times a year, they cannot guarantee anything. This is most likely a human behavior issue, not a cleaning technique failure.

Cara Driscoll: Consider increasing or adding additional ventilation and/or the addition of charcoal filters to the air filtration system. Without the ability to truly clean surfaces, maintaining heavily-used restrooms is difficult. Deodorizers can be added to busy restrooms in the form of scented urinal blocks, urinal mats, and toilet deodorizers.

• What do you do about urine-soaked wood flooring?  

Mark Cornelius: This is probably the easiest one to answer, but the client will not like it. Remove the wood floor, discard the wood floor, address the subfloor, and install a new wood floor after completing steps 1-4 of deodorization and steps 1-4 of cleaning. They will probably have to seal the subfloor.  

• Can you save a carpet pad that has been contaminated with urine? Or, is it better to just replace it?  

Mark Cornelius: What is the value of the carpet? Is it a brand new carpet and a brand new pet that has only had a couple of accidents, or is it 10-year-old carpet with a previous occupant with a pet?

The problem is carpet underlay is cheap in the cost of carpet. If there are extensive pet spots throughout the room then the spots are much larger than what they can see on the surface. I have never found cleaning the padding to be cost-effective. You are still going to have to reinstall the pad and the carpet as well as address the other issues like the subfloor. Replace it, don’t clean it unless you want complaints later.

Cara Driscoll: For minor urine in carpet pads, one could use flushing and sub-surface extraction tools in an attempt to rinse and remove the urine from the pad. Injecting oxidizers or enzymes into the pad is another option used when the urine can be located and is contained in minor areas. But heavy urine damage requires the removal of the pad. It is an inexpensive piece of the overall project.

• How do you remove odors from concrete?  

Mark Cornelius: How long has the odor-causing issue been present? I sound like a broken record. Step 1) remove the source, Step 2) Clean the source area, Step 3) recreate conditions/penetration, and Step 4) Seal.

When it comes to concrete, how long has the issue been there? If the problem is pet urine, for example, if the pet has been urinating in the same area for five (5) years, there is no way I can recreate the conditions, unless they want me to move in with them. The likelihood is, as much as I avoid sealers/encapsulation, Step 4 will happen 99% of the time due to the inability to complete Step 3.

If it is a protein decomp odor that has only been a few weeks, you might be able to address it with localized gaseous/liquid oxidizers and heat to open pours. The heat will speed up decomposition of odor molecules and open pores of the concrete allowing products to penetrate deeper. They may still have to incorporate step 4, however.

Cara Driscoll: If odors are deeply set in concrete, use an epoxy sealer after thorough cleaning.

• When do you know if it is best to discard or clean in a trauma situation?  

Mark Cornelius: You are going to have to consider multiple aspects. This is where economics come in to play. What is the item worth and how much will it be to clean it? Will the cost of cleaning it to the point that the item will be returned in a sanitary condition be worth it or not?

When it comes to the odor aspect, it is no different than any other odor. Once it has been cleaned, it should not smell. If it is a soft good, then once again gaseous/liquid oxidizers can be incorporated.

The restorer will have to have the client involved in determining the actual cost of an item to determine if there is any economics to it. In closing for this question, they should strongly consider taking the TCST course, purchasing the S540, and reading it. In the S540, we discuss the ability to clean porous, semi-porous, and nonporous as well as saturation vs splatter, and transfer of biologicals.

 Cara Driscoll: My only comment on this one, as Mark states: Attend the TCST class, and read the S540. That will answer this question.

With these highly valuable tips, tricks, and expert insights now under your belt, it’s time to implement these strategies into your own odor mitigation company to help both your clients and your profits significantly. Stay tuned for more editions of ‘Ask the Experts’ to come and, until then, feel free to also check out this Cleanfax featured post by Mark Cornelius on restoration business management:

Restoration’s ‘Money Button’ Problem

The post Ask the Experts: Odor Mitigation Tips appeared first on Cleanfax.

Cleaning for appearance is what drives virtually all carpet and floor cleaning professionals and technicians, whether in homes or buildings. Yet, we all know that cleaning for health, whether surface cleaning or improving indoor air quality, is critical, and the science is emerging now more than ever before. The world has changed, and more people are demanding proof that the homes and buildings they inhabit and use are clean and safe. It’s a demand that we should embrace, because it involves the work we do and the impact the cleaning industry has on better health.

With this in mind, I sat down with two industry professionals: Doug Hoffman, the executive director of NORMI, and Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner, a senior director with GBAC, a division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association. Both have a passion for cleaning beyond appearance. In other words, they believe in cleaning for health, and by doing that, protecting people in buildings by using science as a guide.

The following Q&A feature article can and should be used by all cleaning professionals as guidance and justification for the work they do.

What do we know and not know about contaminants on floors?

Doug Hoffman, the executive director of NORMI

The floor is the largest horizontal surface in any building and, therefore, is a repository for all types of contaminants. We know about the breadcrumbs, dog hair, and mud from our shoes, but have we considered the microscopic stuff that has been floating around in the air and now settled onto the floor: the microbes and mold spores for potential mold growth?

Cracks and crevices are the enemy when it comes to keeping floors clean and luxury plank flooring, wood, floor tile, and even sheet vinyl are full of them. And then there is the carpet, the largest filter in the building collecting whatever falls on the floor and trapping it in the fibers and padding. It is seldom noticed, but if you have ever pulled up carpet to replace it, you know the incredible amount of dirt and grime that can collect underneath our feet.

Some areas of the building are dirtier than others because of the higher volume of traffic, and the floors show it. Moisture prone areas like bathrooms and laundry rooms soak up spills and create a haven for bio-nesting for mold and bacteria.

Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner, senior director of GBAC

The CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) published guidelines on Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility: Every Day and When Someone is Sick (updated November 15, 2021) that were for cleaning and disinfecting buildings in community settings to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading. The guidance lists examples of high-touch surfaces such as pens, counters, shopping carts, tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, stair rails, elevator buttons, desks, keyboards, phones, toilets, faucets, and sinks.

But there’s been very little discussion or guidance provided on the risk of floors in spreading SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 disease or even the spread of infectious disease-causing agents (virus, bacteria, fungus) on your shoes.

Other published government guidelines for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases similarly provide very little on cleaning and disinfecting floors.

Here are some issues affecting floors in the spread of infectious diseases:

• Step 1: Infected person coughs or sneezes, producing respiratory droplets that contain bacteria or viruses that land on surfaces in their location.
• Step 2: Bacteria or virus is now transferred onto various surfaces including the floor.
• Step 3: Person walks on floor and bacteria, or virus is now transferred onto their shoes. Risk of virus spreads as they walk around from soles of shoes or aerosolizing back into the air.
• Step 4: Person returns home, further spreading the virus.
• Step 5: Person takes off their shoes. Bacteria or virus has now transferred onto their hands.
• Step 6: Person, not knowing the virus is on their hands, touches their face, increasing the likelihood they become infected.

As the largest horizontal surface in a building, the floor is a breeding ground for all types of germs and contaminants. Appropriate cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting guidelines and regular floor maintenance are key components to successful infection-risk mitigation.

When people enter a building, unless they can visibly see a dirty floor, they may not think about the floors as a source of germs that can make them sick. But there is research that shows floors are covered with germs that can be a potential source of infection.

Even if we don’t directly touch the floors, most of us don’t consider what may be on our shoes or socks. Most likely, we do not think to wash our hands with soap and water every time we put on or remove our shoes. By washing your hands and minimizing your interaction with floors, you can decrease your risk of infection and the risk of spreading infection to others.

We need to be better educated on which germs can survive on floors and how they spread.

A study published by Deshpande and colleagues in the American Journal of Infection Control focused on what bacteria might live on floors of hospitals. The researchers used swabs and then cultured the samples from 120 floor sites among four Cleveland-area hospitals. The bacteria they found that could lead to hospital-acquired infections included:

• 22% of the floor sites were positive for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that can cause skin infections, blood stream infections, and pneumonia and is resistant to many common antibiotics.
• 33% of the floor sites were positive for vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) that can cause urinary tract infections and wound infections. It is resistant to vancomycin, an important antibiotic.
• 72% of floor sites were positive for Clostridium difficile (C. diff) that causes severe diarrhea. This study found that C. difficile was not only found on floors in isolation rooms where people with this infection are kept but also in other rooms where people did not have this infection. This shows that C. difficile is able to spread between rooms and can survive on floors.
• 24% of high-touch objects that were in contact with the floor were contaminated with more than one
• 57% of contaminated objects in contact with the floor transferred bacteria to hands.

What is the correlation between surfaces, such as floors, and indoor air quality? What type of testing can prove what you believe?

Hoffman

When performed by a well-trained professional, the IAQ assessment always includes testing both surfaces and air for contaminants. We may not think about how our surfaces get so dirty, but much of the contamination we collect from surface samples is the result of airborne contaminants settling out. The dust we see on our piano is dust that has been in the air, and now, through natural ionization processes, becomes the haze that needs to be wiped from the surface. Dead skin cells, mold spores, pollen, insect parts, and pet dander are some of those airborne contaminants that eventually land on the surfaces of our bookcases, furniture, and floors.

Microbes do not have wings but do have the tendency to float around on the small particulate like a magic carpet ride. We may inhale them or touch a surface where they have landed and, suddenly, we now have an infection someone else had and we did not even have contact with that person. Additionally, touch transmission is another reason why it is important to keep all our surfaces clean, including our floors.

Diagnostic testing is objective and can show us exactly how contaminated our surfaces are and, after cleaning, can prove we have done a good job removing the contamination that was in the air and now on the ground. Swab sampling, bulk sampling, swipe, and carpet sample collections are great options to evaluate what’s going on with our floor surfaces.

What do you recommend we do about these contaminants and cleaning processes for floors? How can we really make a difference for building occupants?

Macgregor-Skinner

The challenges we face in a post-pandemic society are not new, but now is the appropriate time for all industries to rethink and reassess their approach to infection-risk mitigation. Choosing appropriate flooring materials and ensuring that standard operating procedures for cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting floors are adhered to will make a crucial difference in maintaining a healthy workforce and protecting the public.

It is important that the cleaning of floors for infection prevention isn’t overlooked. We can improve this through education and sharing studies that show that infectious disease pathogens can easily spread via foot traffic and floors, not just by person-to-person contact or droplets in the air.

Studies show that floors and shoe soles can have high concentrations of bacteria and viruses and be tracked to other rooms. The presence of germs on floors is largely attributed to gravity and airflow, but then they can be carried elsewhere by foot traffic or can re-enter the air from the ground due to foot traffic. As people walk, they not only collect and spread germs on the soles of their shoes as they move from one area to another but can also aerosolize bacteria or viruses when they kick it back in the air.

This further illustrates the need for regular and thorough cleaning and disinfecting of all floor surfaces, in addition to the high-touch surfaces which often receive the greater focus for disinfection.

Hoffman

Objective methods of testing surfaces, like surface sampling, could allow us to compare post-cleaning sampling to a pre-cleaning baseline, helping us evaluate the cleanliness of the surfaces under our feet. But this, unfortunately, is seldom done and most often discouraged. We recommend objective testing in every assessment.

Carpeting is especially difficult to keep clean but should be vacuumed regularly to reduce the collection of contaminants. You have probably seen videos where vacuuming itself creates a dust cloud that only settles back into the carpet once the vacuum is turned off. That only confirms that regular vacuuming, daily, needs to be done. A good maintenance schedule should include carpet cleaning techniques that are thorough but protect the carpet.

When cracks and crevices are apparent in wood, luxury plank, or vinyl tile, special care should be taken to periodically scrub the surfaces with a soft bristle brush rather than relying only on the occasional dust mop. Pushing around the dust often allows it to fill those cracks and create an opportunity, if a spill should occur, for mold to grow.

Tile grout is a sponge that absorbs moisture, so care should be taken to seal the grout. By filling the surface with a good sealant, and applying it on a routine basis, there is less possibility of trapping contaminants, and the surface will become smoother and easier to keep clean.

We do not think about the fact that things in the air land on the surfaces and things on the surfaces become airborne. With air constantly moving in our indoor environments, we should address all the air and every surface to have a cleaner, safer, healthier indoor environment.

Why are not more resources spent on removing contaminants and cleaning for health? What surprises you the most?

Hoffman

This is a good question, and I do not know if I have a good answer. I remember when I was in the building trades and I wanted to do something that I knew would build a better house, the response was usually, “Yes, that would be nice, but I’d rather have granite countertops.”  It seems like the idea of cleaning for appearance instead of cleaning for health has become a way of life.

It might be that resources are not dedicated to this, and budgets are slashed because we are more concerned about what people can see than about what they cannot see, and yet what they cannot see is the most dangerous.

Scientists tell us that the most dangerous particulate in the air is not the stuff that is trapped in a filter but the submicron particles that go right past our nose hairs and get lodged deep in our lungs. There’s evidence that some of that tiny stuff can enter our blood stream, the stuff we can’t even see with the naked eye. Waterborne illnesses often come from “clear” water because no one would drink cloudy water. We cannot see these contaminants but those are the ones that are most dangerous. Therefore, it is so important to incorporate testing in any cleaning protocols.

Macgregor-Skinner

Koganti and colleagues conducted a study to determine the extent that germs from the floor spread to the hands of people, as well as high-touch surfaces, both inside and outside the hospital room. They took bacteriophage M2, a nonpathogenic virus engineered not to cause infection, and placed it on wood laminate floors next to hospital beds.

They then swabbed a variety of surfaces to ascertain if and where the virus had spread. It was reported that the virus had spread to not only hands, shoes, socks, but also bed rails, bed linens, tray tables, chairs, pulse oximeters, doorknobs, light switches, sinks, and even close-by rooms and nursing stations. In the nursing station, the virus was found on the keyboards, computer mice, and phones.

This study showed that infectious disease-causing pathogens on hospital floors can spread to many surfaces both inside and outside the hospital room.

If you could build a team to keep buildings healthy, what would that look like, especially with floor care?

Hoffman

If I were building a cleaning team to keep buildings healthy, I would do personality profiling to find people who were detail-oriented. I would look for people who are obviously concerned about their appearance and who keep their car clean. Seriously, I have found it difficult to teach someone who is untidy to be as concerned about the cleanliness of surfaces as I am. I would want them to buy into a rigorous cleaning schedule and enjoy the challenge of keeping it clean.

My mother thoroughly cleaned our house every spring and fall, which would include pulling all the rugs out of the house, cleaning the venetian blinds (I got that job), and washing the windows inside and out. That seems to have become a lost art and most cleaning now is for appearance, not for health.

I would build a team who understands that appearance is NOT as important as health, because if you are cleaning for health, the appearance will take care of itself. Cleaning cannot be a low budget item and requires ongoing toolbox training to keep the team sharp and current on new chemistries and techniques.

How do we convince those we clean for and who oversee cleaning budgets to increase frequency and quality of cleaning?

Macgregor-Skinner

We need to define what “clean” is and we need to measure it. With respect to floors, both detergents and disinfectants help to control germs. But, they are not synonymous. Detergents remove dirt, grease, and germs through scrubbing with soap and water solutions. Disinfectants are either chemical or physical interventions that require dwell time or contact time to kill bacteria and inactivate viruses.

We need to ensure our cleaning methods target the right sites for decreasing the risk of infection and are applied frequently enough to reduce the number of germs that could cause infection.

Hoffman

COVID-19 brought a heightened awareness to the table. But, like so many things, I fear we are becoming distracted, and maybe laxer, about the frequency and quality of our cleaning processes. We should be talking more about the contaminants that we are living with every day and not just the latest virus variant. If we realized how we could reduce illness and increase the quality of our health by simple, regular, and thorough cleaning of all surfaces, we would be encouraged to do better.

We have tremendous new technologies in air filtration/purification equipment that reduce the airborne contaminants and keep surfaces, including floors, cleaner. We should incorporate these in every way we can. We have ways of monitoring indoor air quality so we can catch anomalies before they become a problem and provide ongoing sampling to verify that our cleaning processes are working. This kind of holistic approach is the answer, and educating the decision-makers on the long-term benefits of such will convince them of the importance of this line item.

Who is responsible for protecting public health when it comes to indoor spaces?

Hoffman

As much as I would like to think that someone else is responsible, I am convinced that, like so many things, it is up to me. The building owner, property manager, facilities maintenance director, or leasing company certainly must bear some responsibility for the cleanliness of their buildings. But, I do believe, and have experienced, the truism that “the squeaky wheel gets the grease,” and so I need to become that “squeaky wheel.”  This does not have to be a confrontation but a simple sit-down to discuss my needs and the concerns about my own health, and the health of my family or workers. If the millennial employee has taught us anything, we have learned that the needs of the individual must have a seat at the table, so expressing our needs is a great place to start.

Macgregor-Skinner

It is everyone’s responsibility. Cleaning for health needs to be part of a business continuity of operations plan. But, we know all too well that when a facility needs to cut costs, cleaning is a cost-cutting target.

CEOs and senior management need to understand that removing visible and invisible dirt from floors and surfaces in their buildings requires trained staff, ongoing monitoring, measurement of bioburden, education, continuous improvement processes, and two-way communication between those responsible for cleaning and the users of the building, as well as those responsible for budget, health, and safety.

If you were to give a short speech to cleaning professionals, what would you tell them?

Macgregor-Skinner

Cleaning of floors and other surfaces that accumulate infectious disease-causing agents was often a low priority. Times have changed. We know surfaces serve as a source of infection. As a cleaning professional, you need to learn the science and the evidence-based procedures and go to market with “Cleaning for Health.”

Hoffman

You are the front-line first responders dealing with indoor environmental contamination. You are the ones who can improve the health of those you serve. You can protect them from whatever danger they might face, from touching contaminated surfaces to breathing contaminated air. You must be sure they go back home in the same condition in which they came to work. And by taking good care of the air and the surfaces, you will protect your own family when you return home after a hard day of work keeping the building clean. It is that important.

There are very few things in our indoor air environments as dynamic as indoor air quality and the condition of our surfaces. It is constantly changing. The possibility of a life-threatening or debilitating illness is ever-present and needs to be addressed constantly. But, the good news is this: Getting a grip on the correct procedures and processes that manage the quality of cleaning produces a much cleaner, safer, and healthier environment.

IAQ management is about controlling the quality of the air we breathe and the cleanliness of the surfaces we touch and walk on. On a personal note, I have great faith that people really want to do the right thing and do a good job. When properly educated and trained, they will rise to the occasion and make things better.

Doug Hoffman is the founder and executive director of the National Organization of Remediators and Mold Inspectors (www.normi.org), a not-for-profit training and certification organization for IAQ professionals. His passion has been helping people understand how to live healthier lives indoors and empowering them with the ability to have clean air. Get more information from his book, Mold-Free Construction, at www.moldfreeconstruction.com.

Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner is a senior director of the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a division of ISSA. As an infection prevention expert and epidemiologist, he works to develop protocols and education for the global cleaning industry, helping facilities, businesses, organizations, and cleaning professionals to create safe environments.

References:

• CDC Guidelines on Cleaning Your Facility: Every Day when Someone is Sick (updated November 15, 2021) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html
• Deshpande, A., Cadnum, J.L., Fertelli, D., Sitzlar, B., Thota, P., Mana, T.S., Jencson, A., Alhmidi, H., Koganti, S., Donskey, C.J. (2017). Are hospital floors an underappreciated reservoir for transmission of health care-associated pathogens. American Journal of Infection Control, 45, 336-338.
• Guo, Z., Wang, Z., Zhang, S., Li, X., Li, L., Li, C….Chen, W. (2020). Aerosol and Surface Distribution of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in Hospital Wards, Wuhan, China, 2020. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 26(7), 1583-1591. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2607.200885
• Koganti S, Alhmidi H, Tomas ME, Cadnum JL, Jencson A, Donskey CJ. Evaluation of Hospital Floors as a Potential Source of Pathogen Dissemination Using a Nonpathogenic Virus as a Surrogate Marker. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. 2016 Nov;37(11):1374-1377.

The post The Impact of Floors on Indoor Air Quality and Health appeared first on Cleanfax.

As you read on, you will see information that helps you form a better, more complete understanding of the state of the disaster restoration industry.

Of interest in the survey is how the vast majority of you, 97% to be exact, offer water damage restoration, closely followed by mold remediation/abatement (92%), and sewage remediation (91%). Less than 5% of companies responding to the survey subcontract out any of that. When service offerings move into fire/smoke, biohazard, and others on the list, subcontracting becomes more common.

Those involved in TPA programs dropped 4% from last year, with more engaged in storm chasing projects, the highest number traveling outside their area for CAT work since 2014. And, of course, everyone said that staffing issues were important. Recruiting and retaining quality workers remains at the very top of the challenges facing companies. For pricing, the highest per-hour charge on average goes to biohazard/trauma cleanup, followed by mold remediation and then water damage restoration. You can see the data in the survey and compare your own charging practices to the industry. Cleanfax thanks all those who participated in the survey and helped create this valuable industry resource. Now, dig in and check out all the data, and use the link below to download the full report. 

About this report: The data in this survey is based on results from restoration contractors responding to invitations to participate in the survey. Results are not necessarily based on audited financial statements. Sponsored by Legend Brands.

Download the full report here!

Check out the Survey PowerPoint here!

Review the Survey PDF as well!

This year, the majority (59%) of companies reported owner tenures of more than 10 years. Nearly a third have had the same owner for more than 20 years.

Competing is all about how you stand out from the competition. Experience and reputation is what drives most restoration companies.

The majority of companies offer water damage restoration services yet remain firmly diverse with other service offerings, which means one-stop shopping for customers and adjusters is possible. Rarely do companies outsource basic services.

Starting out can be pricey, with 53% spending more than $50k to get started.

This year saw the highest number of respondents traveling outside their area for CAT work since 2014.

Commercial work makes up at least half of business for 19% of companies.

Not a single respondent said staffing issues were unimportant, which is unsurprising given the current labor market.

Biohazard cleanup dropped substantially over the last year as demand for COVID-19 cleanup fell.

Yelp continued its drop in popularity, falling 4% over 2020, while lead services grew by 4%.

More than half of companies expect to see insurance payments in less than 6 weeks.

The average prices for all services increased this year.

Offered additional services rose across the board with the exception of carpet cleaning, which dropped 3% from last year.

Challenges keeping employees are clear, with more than half reporting average employee tenures of less than three years.

See the 2021 Restoration Benchmarking Survey Report

Download the full report here:

Check out the Survey PowerPoint here!

Review the Survey PDF as well!

The post The 2022 Restoration Benchmarking Survey Report appeared first on Cleanfax.

It’s getting harder and harder for restorers to grow a profitable business, and it’s no secret that the last two years have not been an easy environment to operate in. Many restorers feel like their businesses are under increased scrutiny that is taking a toll on staff. It’s especially frustrating when you feel like insurance carriers aren’t working with you as you try to help people in their time of need. Restoration is an essential part of the insurance ecosystem, and you perform a service that is needed for the insurance industry to be successful. Theirs is a data-driven industry, and the data they require to make decisions comes from the documentation you capture in the field. The level of detail and accuracy you capture can make or break you.

I have witnessed firsthand that the best restorers in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States all have one thing in common: The ability to deliver major wins to the bottom line depends on field documentation systems and consistently sticking to the same process.

To build a foundation that will lead to consistent profitability, restoration companies must create a simple, repeatable process for the team to use while in the field. If you want premiere-level documentation, it’s essential to validate the work you did to justify and defend your actions; limit the exposure of pre-existing conditions/damages so you don’t pay for things you didn’t damage; and create repeatable processes, so your business runs more efficiently and routinely.

If you don’t focus on these things right from the get-go, you’re selling yourself short and setting yourself up for constant back-and-forth battles with reviewers, adjusters, and TPAs. You’ll be fighting for every dollar, and it’ll likely take forever to get paid.

At the very minimum, there are six types of field documentation categories you should check off for every job to protect your business—and your customer—from unnecessary scrutiny and delays:

1. Overview
2. Pre-existing conditions/damages
3. Source/Cause of loss
4. Resulting damage to structure
5. Resulting damage to contents
6. Pre-existing conditions/Damage to contents.

Taking the time to document the job properly instantly solidifies a process that will help your business succeed.

Overview

When to take them: During the first walkthrough (before beginning any work)

Benefit: You document exactly how the property was upon arrival.

This is the only opportunity for you to document the original condition of the building and contents before you start working unless you take these photos and videos immediately upon arrival at the site.

Start at the door of the affected room and take your photos left to right, slightly overlapping them. You want the images you capture to tell a story so that anyone reviewing your documents will understand exactly what you were looking at when you arrived.

These photos are critical. They will be used by your company’s internal resources, the homeowner, and the adjuster, and if taken poorly, they can be weaponized against you. Gaps in your documentation leave room for doubt, allowing people to further scrutinize your work and documentation capabilities.

Pre-existing conditions/damage

When to take them: During the initial walkthrough (before beginning any work)

Benefit: You clearly identify previous, current, or future issues.

The problem is people walk by their home finishings every day without noticing dents, dings, scratches, and other imperfections—until you and your team arrive. I can’t express how many times we have had to pay for walls to get painted or to repair damaged finishes or contents that we didn’t even touch. Unfortunately, that’s the nature of this business. Every restorer has this type of liability exposure, so it’s important to understand how to limit it.

Again, start at the door of the room and work your way around from left to right. This time, you need to focus in greater detail right down to the dents and dings, moving from top to bottom, but still maintaining a left to right flow. If a question arises in the future you can demonstrate, isolate, and identify any marks.

If the mark is on a flat wall surface, it’s a good idea to take a photo from further away from the location to provide some context. Look to frame a light switch, outlet, trim piece, or some other item in your photo capture as a point of reference to help identify the mark’s location.

In this step you are looking for everything:

• Dents
• Scratches
• Stains
• Tears
• Discolorations
• Pre-existing mold/water damage (Don’t miss this one especially!)
• Odors (Use video to explain.)
• Sounds (Use video to demonstrate.)

We saved so much money on jobs when we slowed our response and actually took the time to protect our company. The bottom line increased, and the potential for any problems with the customer decreased. Overall, it cost us less time and money to close our jobs out by taking a little more time to do it right from the start.

Source of loss/Cause of loss

When to take them: As soon as possible

Benefit: This documentation helps your customer make their claim and determines your handling based on the IICRC S500.

There is a difference between the “source of loss,” a contractor term, and the “cause of loss,” an insurance term. Before we discuss how to document them, let’s clarify how these two terms differ:

The source of loss (SOL) identifies the place of origin for the loss and should be identified by the restorer. An SOL could be a ruptured water line, a punctured waterbed, seepage from the foundation, an overflowing sump pit, etc. For restorers, we are less concerned with how a loss happened and more concerned with where the loss originated from. A broken pipe is a source of loss, and we need to know what type of pipe ruptured. A supply line (drinking water) provides us with an initial categorization of water as a Category 1. A broken sewer line would provide us with an initial categorization of water as a Category 3.

The adjuster is more concerned with the cause of loss because the insurance policy revolves around what caused the loss in order to determine the level of coverage. The same supply line may or may not have coverage, depending on what caused the rupture. If the rupture was a sudden and accidental break in the line, the insurance policy might cover the break. If the rupture was a slow leak due to poor maintenance, the policy might not cover the loss.

But the restorer drying the building has to determine the source of the water and the current condition of the water, regardless of whether there is coverage.

Despite these differences, how you document the SOL and the cause of loss is very similar. When documenting the room, you should take a distant photo to provide fuller context, then move in toward the source or cause of loss until you can capture a closer photo.

The property owner and adjuster need clear pictures and accurate context. It doesn’t matter whether you are working with the adjuster or only for the property owner, the information you collect is still required by both parties to determine coverage, insurance dollars, and how the submission of the claim goes.

Resulting damage to structure

When to take them: You should take these on the first day. You may take more photos within 48 hours due to further water damage. You also should take these photographs when you open the wall structure or find damage that was concealed, as well, typically within the first few days.

Benefit: This documentation supports your actions in the field, assists the property owner in making their claim, and reduces conflict in a file review.

This category of documentation should be done with great diligence because it often expands the loss size and scope as time goes on and as materials are removed and additional impact is found. While it is common for more damages to appear after the initial assessment, it is uncommon for restorers to document the resulting damages after the first day, but these findings can have a huge impact on the restoration process.

For many novice restorers the resulting damage is taken upon the initial walkthrough and then never updated. This is where a good operator should pay particular attention to the resulting damages and document because an initial scope or rough order of magnitude of $10,000 could easily be increased to $25,000 upon removing some materials or waiting for the water to finish penetrating the building structure.

Using a digital or written change order is critical to documenting the reason for increasing or decreasing your costs based on what you find during your work.

Resulting damage to contents

When to take them: Before you move the content, while you are listing content, and during the cleaning process when damage is identified.

Benefit: This documentation supports your actions in the field, assists the property owner in making their claim, and reduces conflict in a file review.

We often think of contents as the stuff in our way when we are trying to do “real” restoration. The reality is, if you ever want to connect with someone, you must take very good care of their belongings.

Most restorers underestimate the importance of documenting the damage to contents. This is especially true if the contents are deemed non-restorable or economically non-restorable. These items are going to be documented, identified, and then thrown out forever, so you’ve only got one chance to properly document them so that the property owner can make their insurance claim and get the full value of those items.

While removing contents might seem like a chore, when you do it incorrectly, it can cost the customer thousands of dollars. Every item should be documented by capturing the following:

• An overview photo of the item
• The brand name of the item
• The model or serial number if applicable
  or the tag (for size and style)
• The quantity of items.

For items that are not retail brand name items—a 100-year-old oak desk, for example—you’ll need to get more information from the customer. What is the value of the item? Where did it come from? What’s the value to the customer? Is there anything else that should be noted?

Why did I choose the desk example? I once threw away a 100-year-old oak desk that was an heirloom from when the customer’s grandfather started his business. I misidentified the desk as walnut, to which the customer said, “The walnut desk has no value to me.”

I failed to walk the customer through the items being tossed, and I still look back with regret on that moment. I know a simple administration mistake resulted in a bad experience for the customer and for me.

After you’re done identifying all the items, share the list of pictures with the customer for a final review before permanently discarding those items. That way you won’t accidentally discard a family heirloom and cringe thinking about it for years.

Pre-existing conditions/Damage to contents

When to take them: Before you move any item; on all items over $100 (set your value)

Benefit: These limit your risk of paying for damage not done by your team, limit potential conflicts, and create a bond between you and your customer.

People are emotionally attached to the things they acquire throughout their lives. Of course, almost everything has a monetary value, but you cannot discount a customer’s
potential emotional attachment to any item. Focusing on this can change your relationship with your customer. When you document their possessions, you are doing two things:

1. Reducing your liability: People don’t notice the wear their items pick up over time until you touch or move equipment around those items.
2. Establishing a bond with the customer: They witness the care and attention to detail you take with their belongings, and you showcase your professionalism.

The beautiful thing about documenting the job to this level is, if you do make a mistake, most of the time the customer is willing to forgive you because they have witnessed your sincere and careful approach with their things. Once you have documented everything on the job, the only thing left to argue about is the things you actually damage, which most restorers will be more than happy to remedy.

Better documentation leads to higher profits

Your business thrives when you have repeatable processes that allow you to hire and retain new employees who can fit into your system and succeed in this complex industry. I repeatedly have found that, by spending a little more time at the beginning of a job to document the entire situation in greater detail, I am saved immense frustration and protect my employees from feeling doubted on every job.
It’s ok to slow down and document the job properly to do right by yourself, your team, and your customer. Your inevitable success will pay dividends and major time savings down the road.

Kris Rzesnoski is vice president of business development for Encircle where he is committed to driving delivery of intuitive, easy-to-use solutions that allow contractors to improve productivity and profitability. He is an RIA technical instructor, an IICRC approved instructor, a third-party evaluator, and owner of Reztime Training and Consulting. Rzesnoski sits on RIA’s Restoration Council and Canadian Education Committee and is the chairman of the Estimating Committee.

The post Job Costing and Documentation appeared first on Cleanfax.