RIA's Environmental Council

Nearly 15 years ago, the Restoration Industry Association (RIA) realized that much of the work of their member firms involved dealing with environmental contaminants. Renewed emphasis from OSHA and other regulatory agencies related to the disturbance of asbestos during fire and water restoration work was one of the main reasons that the Board of Directors set up the Environmental Council as a permanent part of the organizational structure. The "explosion" of interest in mold remediation and the passage of the lead paint Renovation Repair, and Painting rules (RRP) by the EPA further accentuated the need of this Council.

The Environmental Council deals with a wide range of topics, so it is currently organized with two subcommittees: the Forensic Restoration/Infection Control subcommittee and the Water Damaged Buildings/Regulated Contaminants subcommittee. The former subcommittee deals with the growing niche in the restoration industry known as forensic restoration. This includes projects that involve crime and trauma scene cleanup, hoarders, illicit drug labs, animal infestation, teargas contamination, and other restoration activities that do not fit in the areas of fire, water and mold. The subcommittee also serves as the primary group that interfaces with the healthcare industry because of the emphasis on infection control. As such, this group covers topics such as bloodborne pathogens, infection control risk assessment (ICRA), decontamination of schools and hospitality venues after an outbreak, etc. This subcommittee has been very active in the last three years with the development of the RIA Professional Forensic Guidelines, and shepherding two independent technical conferences.

The latter subcommittee addresses environmental restoration concerns related to mold and bacteria that result from water intrusions, as well as contaminants that are regulated by OSHA or other government agencies that can be disturbed during the restoration process. Some of the regulated contaminants addressed by this group include asbestos, lead, PCBs, silica and chemicals. This group works closely with experts in the drying field as well as safety consultants who focus on OSHA standards. Over last few years, this subcommittee took the lead on developing guidance documents for restoration professionals related to asbestos, as well as a more general document that explains the basics for dealing with five environmental contaminants: silica, asbestos, mold, PCBs and lead.

The Environmental Council also took the lead in revising two hurricane cleanup guidelines after the devastation of last fall's storms. The concise pamphlets, which focus on safety and health issues, are specific, with one directed toward volunteers and the other toward restoration professionals.

Currently, the entire Environmental Council is working on two big projects that emphasize the growing importance of forensic restoration. The third forensic restoration conference is scheduled for July 16 - 17 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Council is also continuing with a project identifying key areas of agreement and differences between the various groups that have written guidelines for infection control procedures for medical facilities.

Although the Council has had international representation for a number of years, we recently were joined by our first member from France. We are looking forward to incorporating his unique perspective regarding these global environmental issues. Whether your home base is near the RIA office or halfway around the world, member participation in the Environmental Council is not only appreciated, but beneficial to both the industry and the council members.