The SBA 7(a) and the SBA 504 Loan Programs are two of the primary programs for providing financial assistance to small businesses. These loans are available through Certified Development Companies (CDCs) and will likely require a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA). It is important to note that although a Phase I ESA might not be required in every situation; SBA requires a Phase I ESA for all properties developed with a current or historical environmentally sensitive industry, such as a dry cleaning facility or a gas station. 
 
While the SBA Phase I ESA follows the AAI/ASTM E1527 scope of work, additional information is required. A critical component is the inclusion of recommendations, and compliance if further assessment is warranted. ACC is strategic in developing additional scopes of work for our clients, and corresponding with regulatory agencies as needed to address environmental concerns identified in a Phase I ESA.
 
A SBA Reliance Letter is also required with each SBA Phase I ESAreport. This letter allows SBA to rely on the information and conclusions provided in the report. ACC is experienced in providing reliance letters using the correct format and specific language that ensures a party can rely on the report. 
 
In addition, SBA requires non-scope items such as mold, lead-based paint, and asbestos containing materials to be addressed. ACC has a skilled team of technicians, capable of handling matters that are outside of the Phase I ESA scope of work. ACC works with our clients to promptly manage these items to prevent slowdown of a project. 

Mark your calendar for Tuesday, May 11th, at 11 AM for ACC’s free virtual presentation with our Certified Industrial Hygiene experts; Industrial Hygiene and Safety Manager, Chris Corpuz, and Industrial Hygiene Project Manager, Michael Burrows.

Register – https://lnkd.in/gqu78qT

Discussion Topics
Wildfire Statistics
Smoke Composition
Short-Term and Long-Term Health risks
Indoor Versus Outdoor Concentrations
Affected Workers
Air Quality Index
Emergency Legislation
Exposure Monitoring
Exposure Reduction

Our panel will share their experiences managing these topics and discuss the best safety management plans and screening policies to ensure safest environment for your employees.  

There will be an opportunity to ask the panel questions throughout the discussion as well as submit questions upon registration.

April 2021 – ACC Environmental Consultants, Inc. is excited to introduce our newest member to the ACC Team, Mr. Tuan Pham, CAC, LRC-IA/PM. Tuan, who earned his B.S., in Mechanical Engineering from UC San Diego, joined our Los Angeles team as a Senior Project Manager brining over 27 years of industrial hygiene experience in petroleum, healthcare, real estate, telecommunication, aerospace, military installations, housing authority, commercial and public facilities and local, state and federal government agencies. 

Tuan’s experience in industrial hygiene include occupational safety exposure monitoring, health and safety audits, vapor intrusion studies, indoor air quality assessments, environmental site assessments and remediation. Tuan is also a California Certified Asbestos Consultant (CAC) and Lead Inspector/Assessor/Project Monitor (LRC-IA/PM) with extensive experience in these areas as well. Tuan is highly adept in leading teams to deliver successful projects. In Tuan’s down time he enjoys spending time with family, playing tennis and is a weekend road cycling warrior.

Connect with Tuan:
Tuan Pham, CAC, LRC-IA/PM
tpham@accenv.com
(714) 717-6330
ACC Environmental Consultants, Inc.
1055 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1450
Los Angeles, CA 90017

 We are thrilled to have you on our team, Tuan!

Don’t let an event get started!!

According to a report by Zurich American Insurance Company, “water intrusion is one of the leading property damage risks associated with new construction and renovation projects.” By researching their claims experience from 2007 through 2016, Zurich found “nearly 50% of all Builders Risk claims resulted from some form of weather or escape-of-water event”.  “A water damage event can range from rainstorms and snow-melt, to flooding and hurricanes, as well as damage from internal water-carrying systems, such as plumbing and sprinkler systems.” White Cap Resource Center: Water Intrusion: The Contractor’s Most Expensive Enemy, Rick Yelton,  May 20, 2020

Regardless of the cause of the water intrusion, the resulting damage to building materials following such an event can be costly if not addressed immediately. 

By taking preventive steps and developing a plan for responding to moisture intrusions you can mitigate or even prevent a significant impact to operations.

Prevention and Planning

Quick steps that can be taken to help minimize the chances of water intrusions include:

• Always be aware of weather conditions anticipated for the worksite location and time of year.
• For new construction ensure temporary protective measures are adequate to withstand severe weather events. 
• Inspect and clean-out roof drains and gutters to insure they are working properly
• Maintain proper sealants on roof flashings and penetrations
• Ensure that weep screeds and weep holes are working properly and as designed
• Ensure proper drainage exists around your building and that water sheds away from the building
• Install/reinstall gaskets or sweeps on doors
• Carefully plan construction projects, which leave the building open to the environment by using multiple weather prediction sources
• Inspect plumbing systems for signs of damage or pending failure
• Look for signs of water staining and investigate the cause
• Confirm proper drainage of HVAC equipment condensate

Have a plan to respond to water intrusions that is scalable. Large and complicated water intrusions are best left to professionals. Smaller intrusions may be handled in-house with properly trained personnel and the appropriate equipment. Here are some important considerations:


• Develop a written response plan, train key personnel and review regularly. If an in-house response team is established, it is important to understand its limitations and establish strict criteria for calling in professional support.
• Know where to shut off water sources to the building, such as water mains, fire sprinklers, etc.
• Identify resources such as response contractors who can respond quickly and, if possible, negotiate a contract with a response company prior to needing them. This typically insures better pricing and guarantees a response. Use contractors certified in accordance with the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration (IICRC).
• Understand your insurance coverage related to water intrusions. Typically, mold growth and remediation is excluded from insurance policies.

Large Scale Water Intrusion

In the event that water Intrusion occurs, the number one priority is to find out where the water is coming from and stop the leak or leaks.  If you have a flood try to extract the water out as soon as possible and depending on the size call a remediation contractor to help with the drying process.  Alert your insurance carrier immediately, so they can send over an agent as soon as possible. Take as many pictures as you can to verify to water intrusion issues.  

Wet drywall is the number one cause of mold in a new building.  In most cases its prudent to contact an environmental consultant to help with documenting and determining the extent of water damage.  A trained inspector using an infrared camera and moisture meter can determine what wallboard should be removed and what can be saved. Mold can start grow in as little as 24-hours, so starting the dry down process immediately along with the removal of wet building material is critical.  Once mold starts growing you will need to contain these areas similar to asbestos abatement projects, which could double or triple cleanup costs.  

Some tips for drying out large areas is to use large desiccant dehumidifiers.  Some of these large trailer mounted units have the ability to dry out whole houses or commercial floors very quickly. Portable dehumidifiers are fine for smaller projects but may not be as affective for larger releases. 

Some challenging areas are where you have multiple layers of wallboard for fire rating or drywall attached to plywood or OSB. Water becomes trapped between the two layers and can’t be dried out easily. Another problem area is carpet and padding. In most cases the best plan is to pull up the carpet and remove and dispose of the wet padding. ACC can work with your insurance agent, owner, general contractor and restoration contractor to make sure that all areas are checked, quantified and mapped out.  The moisture map will guide the General Contractor and restoration Contractor to where they need to concentrate their efforts.  

This is when developing a water intrusion/mold work plan is important.  The work plan explains where the water intrusion and mold issues are and will broadly quantify areas with elevated moisture and areas where mold is growing.  All materials that are water damaged and may need to be removed should be tested for asbestos and lead at the beginning of the project. ACC can also help with testing building materials for asbestos and lead. 

Contact Us to learn more on how ACC can meet your environmental needs.

The Draft Supplemental Guidance introduced this year enhances previous guidance issued by the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) in 201,  and provides additional tools to evaluate a potential vapor intrusion concern (pVIC) in a Phase I Environmental Site Assessments.
 
What Is Vapor Intrusion?
Vapor intrusion is the migration of chemical vapors from the subsurface into buildings and can pose a risk to human health. 
 
Example Sources of Vapor Former Chemicals (VFC): 
Dry Cleaners, Gasoline Stations and other underground storage tank (UST) sites, Auto Repair and Auto Body Facilities, and Industrial Manufacturing. 
 
Important Updates to Guidance: 

• Use of the USEPA Attenuation Factor (AF) of 0.03 for screening sites in California. This AF is protective of public health and should be used for initial screening of sites;
• Sampling sewer air for evidence of potential preferential pathway for vapor migration;
• Four-step evaluation process for determining vapor intrusion risk from on-site or off-site sources; and
• CA-specific vapor intrusion database to support development of CA-specific attenuation factors 

ACC can help identify potential sources of VFC contamination through sampling soil, groundwater, and soil vapor. ACC additionally conducts indoor air sampling to confirm whether contamination in the subsurface may be migrating into buildings. 
 
ACC has extensive experience with site investigations and assessing vapor intrusion concerns. When warranted, ACC can assist in the development of vapor mitigation systems for new construction where vapor intrusion is a concern. 

Additional Information on Vapor Intrusion can be found here:  

• https://dtsc.ca.gov/vapor-intrusion/)
• https://dtsc.ca.gov/wp content/uploads/sites/31/2018/01/Final_VIG_Oct_2011.pdf)
• https://dtsc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2020/02/Public-Draft-Supplemental-VI-Guidance_2020-02-14.pdf)

Challenges and Best Practices to Minimize COVID-19 Spread in Construction Projects

In late April as Health Departments in six Northern California Bay Area counties and the City of Berkeley began permitting “non-essential” construction projects to resume on May 4th under revised shelter in place orders, ACC Environmental Consultants (ACC) began developing audit procedures to support our customers needs related to the Third-Party Jobsite Safety and Accountability Supervisor (JSAS) requirements for Large Construction projects. Within days, requests for support began streaming in.  

With ACC’s audit process developed and properly trained staff of professionals with OSHA-30 and First-Aid/CPR certifications, ACC mobilized to sites during the first days of the new orders. It was clear that Contractors were taking the new safety orders seriously, starting with smaller crew sizes and learning how to work while maintaining social distance requirements. Even the best intended contractors have still struggled to maintain compliance.

Areas of difficulty have included:

Translation and alternate language support. During the first few days, of work, it was clear that Safety Compliance Officers (SCO) were struggling to get documents translated to support the languages spoken in the trades. Workers were anxious to get back to work and claimed to be English speakers. While conducting random employee interviews in accordance with the JSAS requirements, ACC identified workers who couldn’t comfortably answer our questions in English while claiming to speak and read English. Without 3rd party audits, these conditions might have continued. The audits identified the need for both written and verbal translation services to support COVID-19 safety. 

Two-person operations. Whether it’s lifting something heavy, cutting granite or just providing a second set of hands, many tasks on construction projects require people to work within 6-feet of each other. The Safety Orders make it clear that if social distancing cannot be maintained, additional personal protective equipment (PPE) must be provided and since N95 respirators are not allowed due the scarcity of supply, contractors have to look to other types of respirators. Although the 3rd party JSAS audits are performed for owners or general contractors, the work practices of sub-contractors are typically observed. Most General Contractors, in their required COVID-19 safety programs, make it the responsibility of the sub-contractors to provide PPE and the task specific protocols.  COVID-19 safety programs are still being refined, we must all work to ensure that COVID-19 safety requirements are included on Activity Hazard Analysis forms.

Breaktime. The effort to maintain social distance is noticed. However, the comradery of coworkers that has existed for so long during coffee and lunch breaks has been hard to let go. We see the effort to stagger starting times, maintain distancing during deliveries and work with signs reminding us everywhere to maintain social distance, however we’re still seeing coworkers and friends mingle during their breaks at distances closer than six feet. Creating adequate space for trades to spread out and still get that must needed break is critical.

State-Wide Effort
ACC’s effort providing these safety audits has allowed our team to identify construction-site health and safety best practices.  Throughout the State of California ACC is assisting Contractors to develop construction-site safety procedures to keep contractors, sub-consultants and vendors safe and prevent construction project delays due to shut-downs related to COVID-19. Visit ACC’s website to learn more about County to County protocols throughout the State.  

How can ACC Help?
ACC’s JSAS audits are efficient and thorough. Please let us know if you have any projects that we can provide our professional services. Whether it’s routine audits or a one-time question and answer we’re here to help!

ACC is closely monitoring implementation of all new industry-wide transitions and our Project Management team is available to discuss all new protocol that local agencies have released and how they will affect your projects. 

Please contact your primary point of contact or our Northern California office at (510) 638-8400 or Southern California at (213) 353-1240. Or request a proposal: proposal@accenv.com.

The California State Water Resources Control Board and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control have declared the protection of groundwater resources and human health as an essential service. ACC, along with our valued subcontractors, is continuing to assist clients with government-regulated subsurface assessments and cleanups, Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments, and soil characterization for construction. 

ACC performs Phase I Environmental Site Assessment and Subsurface Investigations on behalf of all parties in real estate transactions, site rehabilitation or development, and regulatory-issued clean ups. ACC’s approach is quite unique because we always inquire current and planned site use of a property, and how that may affect our clients’ needs in the long term. ACC can anticipate these needs and prepare our clients early on for any obstacles. 

As one of the leading environmental consulting firms in California, ACC can provide the quick turn around that is often required during the due diligence period of a real estate transaction, or to meet funding and project deadlines. We are available to discuss your site-specific needs.
 
To receive a Phase I quote or to learn more on how ACC can address your property’s environmental needs, Click here.
 
Other helpful resources:
Visit ASTM to order the full E1527-13 Standard
 
Visit the EPA to learn more on EPA AAI

Steps to Avoid the Risk of Legionnaires’ Disease while Reopening

As our community begins to take steps to reopen, commercial buildings, vacated or underutilized for more than three weeks are at risk for a Legionnaires’ outbreak.  

Government and Public Health officers say that unless the water pipes are properly flushed and sanitized the lack of chlorinated water flowing through pipes mixed with unregulated temperature changes create an environment vulnerable to the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease.

Example of Those at Risk:

• Schools
• Gyms
• Commercial Businesses and Government Offices
• Small Businesses
• Factories 
• Hotels
• Restaurants
• Outpatient Surgical Centers

Legionnaires’ Disease is a waterborne illness that leads to pneumonia.  It infects people when Legionella bacteria is released into the air as an aerosol from water sources, such as hot tubs, showerheads, fountains, sprinkler systems and industrial water cooling systems.  

Most cases can be successfully cured with antibiotics and the illness cannot be spread from human to human contact but many cases also require hospitalization.   The disease attacks your lungs and has similar symptoms as coronavirus patients, including cough, chills and fever, making misdiagnosis possible so preventing the bacteria build up and exposure is important for both the health of occupants as well as minimizing additional strain to our Medical System.  

Spread of Legionnaires’ Disease is preventable with proper planning.  Globally, Water and Sanitation Associations are developing reopening standards.  

Recommendations include:

• Anyone servicing water pipes before reopening should take the same precautions as one might to prevent the spread of COVID-19: wear gloves and a mask. 
• Any device dormant during the shutdown and connected to a water system should be flushed.
• Building pipes that go more than one week with low or no occupancy should be thoroughly flushed for at least 30 minutes. 
• Test twice, 3-5 days after flushing and again two months later.

ACC’s Industrial Hygiene Team is available to discuss 
Reopening Planning for your Building. 

CONTACT US