Reliable Environmental Solutions offers the following services with more
than 50 years of combined experience:
- Consultation
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Asbestos Inspections and Management Plans
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Project Design
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Asbestos Project Management
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Asbestos Air Monitoring and Analysis
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Lead-Based Paint Services
- Environmental Training Services
Consultation
Reliable Environmental Solutions has a staff of qualified professionals who
serve as an invaluable resource in the ever-changing environmental world. We
can provide practical application of the various government regulations and
guide our clients from start to finish though the often times overwhelming
world of environmental compliance. Our consultation services range from
providing compliance assurance through a simple telephone conversation to
directing a client through the multi phases of an inspection and abatement
project.
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Asbestos Inspections and Management Plans
An inspection is the first step for any building owner to identify
locations and quantities of asbestos containing materials throughout the
facility. Reliable Environmental Solutions conducts a variety of inspections
for compliance based on the client’s needs. The Environmental Protection
Agency requires that all buildings must be inspected for asbestos containing
materials prior to any renovation or demolition activity. Since there is not
a total ban on the use of asbestos containing materials in the United States,
this law applies not only to older buildings but newly constructed buildings
as well.
Whether a building is being renovated for a different use, updated to meet
building codes, or demolished to make way for a new structure, an asbestos
inspection must first be conducted to determine the location and quantities
of asbestos in the structure. In order to protect the health and safety of
the contractors who will be working on the renovation/demolition, the
asbestos containing materials identified will be addressed prior to the start
of construction activities. Reliable Environmental Solutions can provide
complete asbestos inspections of entire structures or limited inspections
focusing on only those materials which will be affected during the
renovation. We will tailor the inspection to the client’s specific needs and
develop a comprehensive report to provide the building owner with the
necessary information required to complete the construction project in an
environmentally responsible manner.
An asbestos management plan is a document which is developed following the
asbestos inspection and used by the client as a guidance tool in the
maintenance of the asbestos materials identified during the inspection.
Reasonable corrective actions and recommendations are made based on our
extensive years of experience. According to the Asbestos Hazard Emergency
Response Act, a federal regulation pertaining to asbestos in schools, all
school buildings (K-12) must be inspected for asbestos and management plans
implemented to protect the health and safety of students and school personnel.
All school buildings must be reinspected every
three years to document conditions of asbestos containing materials and
verify compliance with the federal regulations. Reliable Environmental
Solutions can conduct these reinspections and
assist school districts with environmental compliance. Although not currently
required by law, we can also assist pro-active private building owners in the
development and implementation of management plans in public and commercial
facilities to protect the health and safety of not only the occupants but
also their maintenance personnel.
Our inspectors and management planners have experience dating back to the
late 1980s when the AHERA regulations were first developed. They have
conducted numerous initial school inspections and assisted countless school
superintendents with the implementation of their first asbestos management
plans. From there, they have conducted the required six month periodic
surveillances and the three year reinspections to
keep school districts in regulatory compliance.
In addition to school districts, our inspectors have conducted asbestos
inspections for a wide variety of private sector clients ranging from
hospitals to commercial property owners to higher education facilities. They
have assisted these clients with the development of management plans specific
to their particular needs in order to keep them in compliance with all
federal, state and local environmental regulations.
Our inspectors and management planners are EPA accredited and IDPH licensed
to provide thorough and accurate service to all of our clients.
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Project Design
Project design involves the development of a project manual,
contract specifications, technical and bid specifications and drawings for
asbestos or lead abatement projects. In Illinois, in order to be a Licensed
Asbestos Project Designer, you must first be a Registered Architect, a
Licensed Professional Engineer or a Certified Industrial Hygienist. We have a
licensed asbestos Project Designer on staff who
develops design documents, attends/conducts pre-bid, pre-construction, bid
opening and pay/progress meetings, and reviews abatement contractor's
submittals and pay requests. We provide personal service to the client during
the design phase which is an essential but many times neglected part of a
successful design process.
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Asbestos Project Management
Through project management, the client has a trained, competent
representative to oversee the project and the abatement contractor. The
project manager is present to enforce the current regulations as well as the
specification requirements on behalf of the client. Our staff is EPA accredited
and IDPH licensed to properly manage projects and act as advocates for our
clients while ensuring the project is completed safely and within regulatory
compliance.
Asbestos project management is required during the removal of asbestos
from any school building (K-12) in Illinois. Asbestos project management is
recommended during abatement projects in public and commercial buildings, but
is not required. Prudent building owners, however, understand the benefit of
having a competent representative on site during the abatement to ensure the
health and safety of the building occupants and minimize the liability.
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Asbestos Air Monitoring and Analysis
Air sampling provides tangible proof of airborne asbestos fiber
concentrations before, during, and after the project is completed. When
conducted accurately, air sampling protects the client by giving actual
exposure data for anyone working in the area and the adjacent areas. Our
staff is EPA accredited and IDPH licensed to perform air sampling and provide
PCM analysis on-site. A phase contract microscope is utilized on projects to
provide timely and accurate air sampling results. Our analysts are proficient
in the AIHA Proficiency Analytical Testing Program. TEM analysis, a stronger
form of magnification, is also available through accredited laboratories.
Air monitoring before, during, and after asbestos abatement projects in
school buildings is required in Illinois. In public and commercial buildings,
only clearance sampling (sampling after the abatement is completed) is
required. However, many public and commercial building owners rely on the
assurance that air sampling provides during an abatement project.
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Lead-Based Paint Services
Reliable Environmental Solutions provides trained professionals for
lead-based paint projects. Services provided include lead inspections, risk
assessments, project management and air monitoring. EPA accredited and IDPH
licensed lead inspectors and risk assessors utilize an X-ray Fluorescence Detector
(XRF) during inspections to identify surfaces containing lead-based paint. Utilizing XRF technology allows for results
in seconds, eliminating the delays associated with laboratory analysis. Bulk
water, dust and soil samples may also be collected and analyzed by an
independent, accredited laboratory.
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Environmental Training Services
In order to become an Illinois licensed worker or professional in the
asbestos or lead-based paint industries, individuals must first take an
initial training course specific to the discipline of interest. Reliable
Environmental Solutions has a staff of IDPH approved training instructors who
teach detailed courses filled with years of field experience to provide a
well-rounded educational experience. Upon completion of the course of choice,
the individual must then submit a completed application and fee to IDPH to
become licensed. Annual refresher courses are required for all asbestos
courses and a refresher course is required every three years for the lead
inspector and risk assessor.
Go to Training page.
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