Fellow State Radon Programs,There have been several posts and some individual messages about state radon program concerns with this company called Air Quality Control.
My only suggestion was to advise the citizens no matter who they used to be sure the contract states that the individual who posses the Certification will be physically present at the job site either at least once each day work was done or at least 20% of the total time work was going on, and that the Certified individual inspect and approve the final installation.
I suggest that how to deal with companies that don't have their certified mitigator(s) physically visit the work sites would be a good topic for Wednesday afternoon in Orlando.
Jim
James L. McNees, CHP
Director, Office of Radiation Control
Alabama Department of Public Health
Office-334-206-5368
Fax-334-206-5387
Cell- 334-850-5293
Life may not be the party we had hoped for, but while we are here, we might as well dance.
Ginger Bennett ---10/06/2011 03:05:11 PM---Air Quality Control is soliciting business in Georgia as well as every state. They are especially ta
From: Ginger Bennett
To: "Radon Program Information Exchange"
Date: 10/06/2011 03:05 PM
Subject: [radonsirg] AQC concerns
Air Quality Control is soliciting business in Georgia as well as every state. They are especially targeting the real estate industry who, for the most part, are clueless where radon is concerned. This despite several years of attempting to reach local/area real estate boards and real estate brokerages.
When you call Air Quality Control's "local/Georgia" number it is answered in Michigan. I had a long conversation with the AQC representative who answered my call. He readily admitted that he was located in Michigan. I explained that I was a part of the Georgia Radon Education Program (SIRG) Team and that we counseled home owners to use only NEHA- or NRSB-certified mitigators. I offered to add them to our list if we could verify that the contractor they used locally was truly certified. The representative either did not know who was used locally in Georgia, or had been instructed to withhold that information. There was no mention of contractors coming in from out of state. Their Georgia web site clearly states that the contractors are local.
As far as I know, the sole certified mitigator on their staff is the head of the company and he is not in the state when the work is done, nor does the company provide any follow up to see if the job was done properly.
Could it be that they are purposefully targeting unregulated states like Georgia?
Thus far I know of no complaints from consumers contracting this company. This might be a good topic to be discussed fully at the national meeting in Orlando.
Thanks, Ginger
Ginger Bennett, Radon Educator
UGA Cooperative Extension - Hall County
734 E Crescent Drive NE, Suite 300
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-535-8290 ph - 770-531-3994 fax
bennettg@uga.edu
www.UGAradon.com
Many N Georgia homes have elevated levels of radon, the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer. Ask me about testing your home and what to do if you have a radon problem.
From: Paris, Ryan (VDH) [Ryan.Paris@vdh.virginia.gov]
Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2011 3:28 PM
To: Radon Program Information Exchange
Subject: RE: [radonsirg] DOE weatherization study
On a totally different subject – I’d like to ask if anybody in the other states have encountered recent problems dealing with a mitigation company called Air Quality Control out of East Lansing, Michigan?
Here in VA, I’m starting to get several troubling reports concerning mitigation jobs this company has done – mostly in the NVA area so far.
Apparently, they are soliciting mitigation jobs across a wide multi-state area, often undercut the local companies to get the work (usually charge <$900) and then often do a shoddy job not up to ASTM standards.
They have at least one mitigator on staff who is currently listed by NEHA, but they apparently mostly operate by using other “employees” all of which come into VA from out of state. In my initial telephone contact with the company, they assured me that they only use NEHA/NRSB/state licensed mitigators, but I have evidence of at least one instance (and probably others as well) where the person who actually installed the system was NOT properly certified or licensed as a mitigator and was operating solo. I suspect that they try to skate by in many states using their one certified mitigator on all the paperwork even though he usually is NOT present when the actual work is done. Effective enforcement action (at least for us) will be difficult since none of the suspects reside in-state. I have advised the aggrieved clients to forward their complaints to NEHA.
Just wanted to give everybody a “heads up” since these guys are crossing several state lines and try to find out anybody else has yet encountered similar problems with this outfit?
-Ryan Paris
Radiation Safety Specialist/Radon Coordinator
VDH-DRH
W804-864-8161
From: James.McNees@adph.state.al.us [mailto:James.McNees@adph.state.al.us]
Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2011 2:44 PM
To: Radon Program Information Exchange
Subject: RE: [radonsirg] DOE weatherization study
The question of state jurisdiction over a federal agency can be complex.
Were these radon test being do by DOE employees or by DOE contractors who were not federal employees?
Jim
James L. McNees, CHP
Director, Office of Radiation Control
Alabama Department of Public Health
Office-334-206-5368
Fax-334-206-5387
Cell- 334-850-5293
Life may not be the party we had hoped for, but while we are here, we might as well dance.
"Provenzano, Francesca" ---10/06/2011 11:17:53 AM---I think it's a good question, but it would vary from state to state. Bob or Sara have flagged a pot
From: "Provenzano, Francesca"
To: "Radon Program Information Exchange"
Date: 10/06/2011 11:17 AM
Subject: RE: [radonsirg] DOE weatherization study
I think it’s a good question, but it would vary from state to state. Bob or Sara have flagged a potential issue for licensure/certification state. What is apparent is that DOE or any federal agency proposing research activities within a state, should minimally touch base with the different program administrators to learn if there are any apparent issues or unintended consequences of their actions before proceeding. Simple enough. Like Bob and Sara said…10 minutes of their time.
Sincerely,
Francesca Provenzano, MPH, CHES, RS
Health Program Supervisor
Lead/Radon/Healthy Homes
Connecticut Department of Public Health
Tel: (860) 509-7299
Fax: (860) 509-7295
From: Brennan, Mike (DOH) [mailto:Mike.Brennan@DOH.WA.GOV]
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2011 6:36 PM
To: Radon Program Information Exchange
Subject: RE: [radonsirg] DOE weatherization study
But if the EPA was doing the testing for research, and not as part of a commercial transaction, do they need to be licensed in that state? If so, would that mean that if the EPA gave the homeowners kits to use, and the EPA would be able to access the results, that this would not be allowed because the home owner wasn’t licensed?
I am not asking this to be difficult; it has bearing on something I am thinking of concerning a national radon database.
From: Morgan, Sara [mailto:Sara.Morgan@nebraska.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2011 2:34 PM
To: Radon Program Information Exchange
Subject: [radonsirg] DOE weatherization study
I spoke today with someone with the Energy Center of Wisconsin, who is working for Oakridge National Laboratory (DOE) to conduct a national evaluation of their weatherization program. There are many parts to the study, but one is an Indoor Air Quality piece that involved 500+ homes across the country and monitoring pre- and post-weatherization. Radon testing is a part of this IAQ monitoring.
While the Energy Center knew that some states require licensure for mitigation, it apparently was news to them that some states require licensure of measurement professionals as well. They sent a “technician” to Nebraska and tested 8 homes for radon – using EPA canisters from the Las Vegas laboratory – without first contacting the state radon program to determine if that was ok.
They are almost done with this project – it’s surprising to me that Nebraska is the first licensing state that they came across. It’s also surprising that EPA would supply them with the canisters and presumably the analysis of the canisters, without additional education on the regulatory requirements that might be present. Our challenge now is to make sure that the testing was done correctly, according to standards, and that the results are reported to the state program as they should be.
Sara Morgan
Indoor Air Quality Program Manager
NDHHS, Office of Environmental Health Hazards and Indoor Air
402.471.8320
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