Healthy Indoors Magazine
Issue link: https://hi.healthyindoors.com/i/892198
FEATURE— October 2016 20 Sharing Is the Key The important information in these advisories needs to be shared in order to be useful. Everyone associat- ed with the RIA is hopeful that the community of indoor air quality professionals will download the documents and pass them on. Work in the flood-damaged areas could go on for years, so it is never too late to follow the link provided in this article and share the expertise with those in need. About the Author: Michael Pinto is the CEO of Wonder Makers Environ- mental, a multi-faceted organization that assists individ- uals dealing with indoor environmental concerns. Won- der Makers specializes in resolving problems related to asbestos, lead, mold, micro-organisms, chemicals, and mysterious IAQ situations. Michael has earned a number of professional titles beyond his doctoral level education in environmental engineering including Certi- fied Safety Professional, Safety Management Specialist, Certified Mold Professional, and Certified Forensic Op- erator. He has authored 6 books and more than 220 published articles. During his 39 years in the industry, Michael has supported the industry by volunteering and developing guidance documents with EIA, ECA, NSC, ASTM, IICRC, RIA, CIRI, BioPTO, and others. As the current chair of the Environmental Council of the RIA, Michael spearheaded the effort to revise the flood clean- up advisories. He can be reached at 888-382-4154, or at info@wondermakers.com. will be complicated by the presence of micro-organisms, heavy metals, diesel range organics (e.g., oil; it must be noted that N-95 filtering masks do not provide adequate protection against oil mist), pesticides, and PCBs. Serving a Bigger Audience Although the Restoration Industry Association is ded- icated to serving its members, the organization also recognizes its wider responsibilities to the general public. That is why dedicated experts took the time to develop a more extensive document for volunteers. The RIA encourages both its members and the broad- er audience of restoration professionals and indoor air quality practitioners to make an effort to alert their lo- cal churches and social service agencies to the pres- ence of this information. It is unthinkable to compound the tragedy of damages caused by weather events to have volunteers hurt or made ill while trying to help. These guidance documents can assist groups that want to avoid such complications. Indeed, the guidance document for volunteers is broader than what most people would think. It not only helps to explain some of the physical dangers faced by volunteers but has detailed information on the health and emotional risks as well. For instance, many volunteer groups that respond to calls for help from their churches or other nonprofit agencies do not realize the potential for post-traumatic stress disorder that can impact their group members. This is especially true for younger volunteers who may be assisting with flood cleanup as part of a mission trip. In true keeping with the mission of the RIA, both documents go beyond providing warning information and offers practical tips for: • appropriate personal protective equipment • cleaning procedures • critical safety steps • efficient contaminant removal (including guid- ance on foam cleaning and pressure washing to remove floodwater contaminants from semi-po- rous materials such as wooden studs) • using the right cleaning chemicals (bleach is not recommended despite the repeated references to it in other documents discussing flood recovery)