Demolition Projects and Air Quality Concerns for Workers and Nearby Residents

CHATSWORTH, Calif. - May 4, 2015 - PRLog -- Last month, The Desert Sun published a report about the demolition of a 229 room hotel and spa in downtown Palm Springs.  The article stated that the building, constructed in the 1960s, was found to contain asbestos during the demolition project.  Due to this find, containment of the worksite and air monitoring was put into place to prevent exposure to any asbestos fibers released into the air.

Each year, countless homes and buildings that have outgrown their useful lives are slated for demolition.  These demolition projects result in millions of tons waste and ruble.  While much of this waste is inert or nonhazardous, other debris may contain hazardous materials that may be regulated by the state and/or federal government.  This waste and the demolition process itself, can in some circumstances, create exposure concerns for the workers involved in the projects and even nearby residents.

There is typically a large amount of debris and particulate matter that can become airborne during demolition projects and spread to surrounding properties. Depending on the type and age of the building, it could contain any number of potentially hazardous materials.  These may include asbestos, lead, mold, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs), mercury and other substances.

“High levels of particulate matter, which may sometimes include hazardous materials, can spread across the worksite and into surrounding area,” said Franco Seif, President of Clark Seif Clark.  “This could create exposure concerns for anyone in the area. Even demolition equipment powered by diesel engines at large project worksites can create air quality issues for nearby building occupants due to diesel exhaust.  At CSC, our air quality professionals can help prevent exposure concerns during these types of projects by utilizing air testing and monitoring equipment. These services help to ensure that both workers and people in nearby communities are not exposed to hazards in the air they breathe.”

CSC has sponsored an educational video about demolition projects and potential air quality concerns that can be seen at: http://youtu.be/iEc924Xq3ds



To learn more about air quality testing and monitoring services or other environmental, health and safety issues, please visit www.csceng.com, email csc@csceng.com or call (800) 807-1118.

About Clark Seif Clark

CSC was established in 1989 to help clients in both public and private sectors address environmental, IAQ, and health and safety (EH&S) issues. CSC is a leading provider of these services with multiple offices along the western seaboard and southwest. The company believes in science-based protocols and has a strong background in engineering, making them the preferred environmental consultants to industrial clients, healthcare facilities, architects, schools, builders, contractors, developers and real estate professionals.