Areas of Practice
Asbestos Abatement
Asbestos is the name given to a number of naturally occurring fibrous minerals with high tensile strength. Asbestos (Greek-not extinguishable) has the ability to be woven with resistance to heat and most chemicals. Because of these properties, asbestos has been used in more than 3000 different building products in building construction over the last 100 years. Asbestos-containing materials are frequently encountered in a wide range of environments including, but not limited to, industrial, commercial, and residential facilities.
Why Was It Used?
Asbestos is nonflammable and a poor heat conductor making it a valuable material binder that was used as a flame-retardant material such as mechanical pipe insulation and safety clothing for firefighters.
What Products May Contain Asbestos?
Floor Tile & Associated mastic
Linoleum (sheet vinyl)
Fireproofing
Mechanical Insulation (pipe, tank, boilers)
Window & Door Caulking
Roofing Materials & Associated Mastics
Drywall / Texture / Joint Compound
Ceiling Tiles
Sprayed on Acoustical Materials
Pool Plaster
Duct Seam Tapes
Cement Roofing, Shingles, and Siding
Automobile Brake Pads, Linings, Clutch Facings and Gaskets
Asbestos Health Risks?
Nationwide, an estimated 1.5 million employees in construction and general industry potentially face significant asbestos exposure on the job. Heaviest exposures occur in the construction industry, particularly during building renovation or demolition activities where asbestos is disturbed or removed improperly. Individuals who work in custodial/maintenance activities where asbestos is present are also subject to higher risk.
Photo by fiveheart/iStock / Getty Images
In general, the greater the exposure to asbestos, the greater the chance of developing harmful health effects. Disease symptoms may take several years to develop following exposure. Exposure to airborne friable asbestos may result in a potential health risk because persons breathing the air may breathe in asbestos fibers. Continued exposure can increase the amount of asbestos fibers that remain in the lung. Fibers embedded in lung tissue over time may cause serious lung disease including asbestosis, lung cancer, or mesothelioma.
Three Major Health Effects Associated With Asbestos Exposure
Asbestosis: Asbestosis is a serious, progressive, long-term non-cancer disease of the lungs. it is caused by inhaling asbestos fibers that irritate lung tissues and can cause the tissues to scar. The scarring makes it hard for oxygen to get into the blood. There is no effective treatment for asbestosis.
Lung Cancer: Lung Cancer causes the largest number of deaths related to asbestos exposure. People who work in the mining, milling, manufacturing of asbestos, or who are exposed to asbestos are more likely to develop lung cancer than the general population.
Mesothelioma: Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is found in the thin lining (membrane) of the lung, chest, abdomen, and heart and in almost all cases are linked to exposure to asbestos. This disease may not show up until many years after exposure to asbestos. This is why great efforts are being made to prevent school children from being exposed to asbestos.
Asbestos Services
EACI's asbestos personnel are experts in the areas of proper removal techniques, packaging, and disposal of Asbestos Containing Materials. Critical aspects involved in the assessment and removal of asbestos materials are; proper design of the work area, pre-cleaning and erection of containment barriers, establishing negative pressure, adequate wetting of the material to prevent visual emissions during the removal process, approved packaging of the material in leak tight containers, and DOT prescribed transportation and EPA approved disposal.
Asbestos Abatement
EACI has as much history and experience as anyone in the asbestos removal business. We have completed more than 16,000 asbestos abatement projects to the complete satisfaction of our clients.
EACI offers asbestos abatement for the following applications using methods that meet or exceed all EPA and OSHA regulations:
Removal and Encapsulation
Patch and Repair Programs
Operations & Maintenance Programs
Emergency Response Programs
Waste Disposal
Infrared Floor Tile Removal
Insulation
EACI has a full line of insulation services meeting a variety of applications. All Projects are completed in full compliance with National Industrial and Commercial Insulation standards (NICA). EACI is a member of the National Insulation Association (NIA). Some of the insulation materials that EACI installs include:
Fiberglass
Mineral Fiber Board
Rubber
Calsil Block Insulation
PVC Zeston Fittings
Metal Jacketing
Metal Panel Installation
Mineral Wool
Removable Blankets
industrial cleaning
Clean-Up: Various types of hazardous particulates
Hazardous Waste: Cleanup of various types of hazardous chemicals (PCB's, mercury, benzene, contaminated soils)
Pigeon debris removal
Pressure Washing
Vac Truck Operations
Lead abatement
Lead Based Paint Removal
EACI is a licensed lead based paint removal contractor with trained and licensed lead workers and Supervisors. In addition, EACI has licensed lead inspectors on its staff to offer their clients a true turnkey operation for their needs. EACI also has its staff trained and accredited to maintain compliance with the Lead Renovator Rule.
EACI conducts lead remediation projects where their applications meet or exceed the requirements of OSHA, EPA, and the Housing and Urban development (HUD) Agencies.
Lead Based Paint Removal
Lead Contaminated Soil Removal
Shot Blast Removal
Chemical Removal
Water Towers
Lead Exposure Monitoring
Pressure Washing
Selective Demolition
Interior Selective Architectural Demolition
Mold remediation
What Is Mold?
Molds are microscopic fungi that live on plant or animal matter. No one knows how many species of fungi exist, but estimates range from tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thousand or more. Most are filamentous organisms, and the production of spores is characteristic of fungi in general. These spores can be air-, water-, or insect-borne.
Molds can grow on cloth, carpets, leather, wood, sheet rock, insulation (and on human foods) when moist conditions exist (Gravesen et al., 1999). Because molds grow in moist or wet indoor environments, it is possible for people to become exposed to molds and their products, either by direct contact on surfaces, or through the air, if mold spores, fragments, or mold products are aerosolized.
Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, exposure to molds can cause symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, or wheezing. Some people, such as those with serious allergies to molds, may have more severe reactions.
Health Effects
Health effects generally fall into four categories:
Allergy
Infection
Irritation (mucous membrane and sensory)
Toxicity
People at greatest risk from mold include: infants and children, the elderly, immune-compromised patients (people with HIV, cancer, undergoing chemotherapy, liver disease, etc.), pregnant women, individuals with existing respiratory conditions such as allergies, multiple chemical sensitivity, asthma, and those previously sensitized.
Common Indoor Molds
Some of the common indoor molds include:
Mold Remediation
The EACI management team and workforce are thoroughly trained in all the latest mold remediation work procedures to stay on top of all the latest work practices and training topics. EACI continues to provide the most current and most cost-effective mold remediation solutions for its clients.
EACI offers mold remediation for the following applications:
Commercial Buildings
Government Facilities
Industrial Properties
Water Damage Restoration
Air Quality Testing
Moisture Management
EACI has members of its team certified in inspection, cleaning, and restoration (IICRCS520) for mold related tasks. EACI is certified through IICRC for water damage restoration and applied structural drying.