Summer Construction Activity at Schools May Mean Asbestos, Lead and Mold Laden Dusts

EMSL Analytical provides indoor air quality testing (IAQ) testing solutions to ensure schools are safe for students and faculty.

Cinnaminson, NJ

August means back to school for millions of children and faculty across the nation. For many school districts summer break was the optimum time for renovation projects and other construction activities that were easily performed when the schools were vacant.

These renovation projects provide new rejuvenated learning environments for many, but may also be exposing children and teachers to dust contaminated with lead and asbestos. Projects that corrected faulty plumbing or leaking roofs and windows could also be exposing building occupants to mold spores and potential illness.

When projects involving lead or asbestos contaminated materials are begun there are various federal and state laws governing their removal and disposal. These laws are meant to not only keep workers safe, but also to ensure that materials are handled in such a manner as to not expose the building occupants to their dangers. When mold is involved only a small handful of states have regulations that mandate that qualified and licensed mold remediation professionals be hired to remediate them.

Water infiltration issues, plumbing problems and HVAC failures are all also common occurrences at many aging schools. These can all lead to potential IAQ problems with mold, bacteria and other contaminants. EMSL Analytical, one of the nation’s largest mold, allergen, lead, asbestos and IAQ testing laboratories, has decades of experience providing analytical solutions for these contaminants.

“School renovation projects take place during the summer across the nation,” reported Joe Frasca, Senior Vice President for EMSL Analytical. “Teachers returning to a classrooms with a musty odor or with dust particles on desks, floors and other classroom items should ask the school district for additional testing to ensure the classrooms are safe to enter. EMSL Analytical provides the testing tools and analytical resources to answer these important questions,” Frasca continued.

For more information about IAQ testing services and products provided by EMSL please call (800) 220-3675, visit www.EMSL.com or email info@EMSL.com.

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.

EMSL Analytical is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider of quality environmental and materials testing services and products to professionals and the general public. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies.

Contact Information

Joe Frasca

Senior Vice President, Marketing

EMSL Analytical, Inc.

Contact via E-mail