GES is a full service asbestos testing, design and monitoring consultant. From project planning we can assist you in identification of building materials in need of remediation and identify costs associated with the presence of asbestos containing materials. Our design staff works closely with architects and engineers to seamlessly integrate remediation in the project schedule. Unique job conditions are carefully considered in the preparation of design documents specifically to reduce hazards, costs and project delays. During the execution of our documents, our professional monitoring staff performs quality air testing and assists in the successful completion of work by engaging all parties to avoid conflict and complete work on time and on budget.
Our staff has over 20 years of experience in the lead-based paint consulting, participating in pilot projects that were used in the development of federal regulations. GES is an EPA-certified lead paint inspection firm that provides professional consulting for lead paint management. Our EPA-certified Lead Risk Assessors provide lead consulting services in accordance with EPA and OSHA requirements. Our experience in lead consulting includes commercial and industrial facilities, public housing, schools, day care centers and residences.
Structures built prior to 1978 may contain lead-based paint, a potential hazard if paint chips or lead-contaminated dust or soil is inhaled or ingested. GES will effectively and professionally address your lead concerns to ensure safety and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. GES offers inspection, design and clearance testing in support of projects involving lead-based paint.
Radon is a naturally occurring gas that comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in the rock and soil. It’s both radioactive and cancer-causing. Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas that is produced when uranium in the soil decays. Ordinarily, radon then moves up from the soil and into the atmosphere, where it dilutes and doesn’t pose any health risks. When radon enters a closed structure, such as a dwelling, office, or apartment building, it accumulates and presents a health hazard for the occupants that breathe it in. Exposure to radon typically happens through ingestion and inhalation, with inhalation being the largest threat of developing lung cancer. Although radon exposure is a bigger concern for residential homes, where people spend more prolonged time over a daily basis, radon can enter commercial buildings the same way it does residential ones. Certain categories of commercial buildings, such as offices, schools, day cares, long-term hospitals and facilities, and multi-family residential properties, are susceptible to dangerous radon exposure and may even be subject to certain regulations. Radon is measured in picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L), which is a measurement of radioactivity. There is no “safe” level of radon exposure known to exist. However, the EPA’s recommended action level is 4.0 pCi/L.
A radon survey is a test conducted by our knowledgeable and qualified radon specialists to identify the presence and levels of radon in a commercial real estate structure. These tests include short-term and long-term radon sampling, sampling for Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and HUD guidelines, and radon mitigation testing. Several types of radon surveys can be performed, dependent on the type of commercial real estate structure, the risk of radon presence, and the necessity for accurate results.
GES understands that environmental quality consulting (EQC) issues are never planned for. Response to these concerns must be rapid, conscientious and complete. Our staff enters your workplace to solve these issues in the most expedient manner possible; providing appropriate testing and remediation planning and if necessary project oversite. GES is available to you 24 hours a day/365 days a year to meet your EQC needs. GES teams with professional laboratories offering rapid turnaround on samples and will give you concise and educated evaluation of test results.
VAPOR INTRUSION AND VAPOR ENCROACHMENT - Volatile chemicals in soil or groundwater sometimes migrate into buildings, resulting in a Vapor Intrusion Condition. Even at low concentrations, the presence of some volatile compounds may pose a health concern to building occupants. Although rare, the presence of flammable vapors at high concentrations may pose an explosion hazard. The chemicals responsible for vapor encroachment commonly include volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds, and volatile inorganic compounds such as mercury or hydrogen.
A growing awareness of vapor intrusion has resulted in new standards of how environmental due diligence is currently conducted. The threat that vapor intrusion poses to a property is called a Vapor Encroachment Condition (VEC), which is defined as the presence or likely presence of chemical of concern vapors in the subsurface of the target property caused by the release of vapors from contaminated soil and/or groundwater either on or near the target property. To ensure that vapor encroachment is appropriately considered when performing an environmental site assessment, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) requires assessment of the vapor pathway within ASTM E1527-13, which is the current and most up-to-date standard for conducting Phase I Environmental Site Assessments. The standard references ASTM E2800-10, which is ASTM’s approved guidance document for determining the potential presence of a Vapor Encroachment Condition. Assessment of the vapor pathway is no longer optional in the risk assessment for any given property during a Phase I ESA. The new standard ensures Environmental Professionals will consider vapor intrusion concerns that may have previously been overlooked.
RECOGNIZING VAPOR ENCROACHMENT - Vapor encroachment concerns may be difficult to recognize in some situations. It is possible that a Vapor Encroachment Condition exists even though a previous Phase I Environmental Site Assessment identified no Recognized Environmental Conditions in connection with a property. This arises from the fact that vapor encroachment conditions may pose a problem if site conditions change. Additional confusion also occurs because ASTM standards for Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) have continued to evolve. Therefore a previous Phase I Assessment conducted in accordance with an old standard may not have considered a Vapor Encroachment Condition that currently poses a Vapor Intrusion Condition. An experienced Environmental Professional should be consulted in cases where confusion exists between a Vapor Encroachment Condition and a Recognized Environmental Condition.
The vapor intrusion pathway should be considered prior to property transactions. The current standard for Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (E 1527-13) includes consideration of potential vapor encroachment conditions. A Phase I ESA conducted under the current standard protects prospective purchasers of property from liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”) for certain environmental conditions. Prior to a property transaction, an experienced Environmental Professional should be consulted to determine if a Vapor Encroachment Condition is also a Recognized Environmental Condition.
Since the 1940s, manufacturers and consumers around the world have made use of the nonstick, stain-repellant, and waterproofing properties of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). These manmade chemicals appear in everything from food packaging, cookware, and rain gear to sealants, floor waxes, and firefighting foams.
In addition to their ubiquity, these chemicals have staying power. When ingested by animals or humans, they remain and accumulate in the body, potentially causing side effects that can include reproductive, developmental, and immunological disorders. They also cause liver and kidney damage, increase cholesterol levels, and can cause cancer in laboratory animals. GES actively conducts groundwater, surface water, soil sampling, and testing services to determine the presence of PFAS in compliance with the United States EPA and ASTM standards.
Copyright © 2023 Giles Environmental Services LLC - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy Website Builder