IAQ Radio

William Thornton - Flooring Confidential: The Underbelly of Cradle to Grave from Manufacture to Installation & Use!

This week's show in the Moisture Mob series is with one of the Flooring Industry leading experts based in the Atlanta Georgia metro area. William Thornton is the North American Technical Manager for Tarkett Sports. Originally from the Kansas City metro area where William made his bones in the flooring industry, his career has spanned almost four decades in all aspects of the industry from installation, manufacturing, specifications, consumer complaint handling, technical training to standards writing for industry installation guides.
 
This week will focus on the indoor air quality aspect of flooring in the built environment from the off gassing of VOC's in materials and adhesives to the impact trapped moisture creates when improper moisture measurement are not done prior to installations. 
 
How do these issues affect the product user, building occupants and why is it important to understand best practices when specifying flooring materials, installation guidelines and making warranty claims which impact purchasing decisions based on the intended use and application.
 
The Restoration industry traces its roots to flooring from the early days of drying wet carpet on site to today's sophisticated methods for drying saturated concrete. Floors get affected on just about every water intrusion event based on the simple principle of gravity and water flows down 
to horizontal surfaces.
 
Understanding how floors are installed, affected by moisture and the manufacturing warranties for a product's specifications are an important aspect of IAQ consultants, restoration contractors and remediation specialists when assessing damage or investigating IEQ complaints.
 
Join Radio Joe, the Z-man and the Restoration Global Watchdog this week for a unique Moisture Mob interview exploring the underbelly of Flooring Confidential, with industry expert and unique personality William Thornton! 

Dave Mason & Tom Peter - From the Trenches: Education on Cleaning & Disinfecting During Epidemics

This week on IAQradio+ we go in the trenches with restoration principles that are responding to the Coronavirus outbreak in real time. Two of our favorite restoration experts Dave Mason and Tom Peter, CIH join us today to discuss their perspective on education, cleaning and disinfecting during the current pandemic.
 
David Mason is the Senior Consultant, and President of Atlantic Restoration Services, providing disaster recovery services across the United States. Atlantic offers complete building and contents de-contamination services, and repairs property damage. He is a consultant for forensic building investigations, litigation support and for property damage restoration, and is a qualified professional for arbitration, subrogation, appraisals and court proceedings. Atlantic Restoration has Command Centers with warehouse facilities, along with contents processing plants, in Atlanta and West Palm Beach.
 
Tom Peter, MS, CIH is the CEO of Insurance Restoration Specialists of East Brunswick, NJ. Tom has supervised just about every type of hazardous waste, indoor environmental quality, mold remediation, water damage restoration project there is and all while in the shoes of a Certified Industrial Hygienist. His vast experience in the field and education make him the go to guy in the restoration world for issues like the Coronavirus pandemic.

Alan Zelicoff, MD - Coronavirus Questions and Answers

This week we welcome Alan Zelicoff, MD for a discussion of how to respond to an epidemic/pandemic. We will start with an update and resources for listeners, then we will play back our interview from earlier this week with Dr. Zelicoff. Our focus was on how a proper response should work and how the world is responding to COVID 19. Dr. Zelicoff has a unique perspective on the topic, he also joined us to discuss H1N1 and Ebola when those topics where front and center.
 
Are we ready for the next Plague?
h1n1 Fact vs. Fiction
Ebola Issues and Answers
 
Alan Zelicoff is a physician (board certified in internal medicine 1992, clinical fellowship in rheumatology, 1983) and physicist (A.B., Princeton, 1975), who has had a varied career including clinical practice, teaching, and operations research. In the latter roles, he was Senior Scientist in the Center for National Security and Arms Control at Sandia National Laboratories from 1989 to 2003.
Dr. Zelicoff’s interests include risk and hazard analysis in hospital systems and office-based practice, and in technologies for improving the responsiveness of public health offices and countering biological weapons terrorism. Dr. Zelicoff has traveled extensively in countries of the former Soviet Union and has led joint research projects in epidemiology of infectious disease, while establishing Internet access at Russian and Kazak biological laboratories. He is the author of numerous text book chapters and articles in these subjects, and is a frequent contributor to Op-Ed pages in the Washington Post and other newspapers. Dr. Zelicoff’s book on this subject is: Microbe: Are we Ready for the Next Plague? Available on Amazon.

Open Mic - Invited Participants: John Lapotaire, Mike McGuinness, Jack Springston, Don Weekes & John Downey

This week we welcome an all-star panel, John Downey, John Lapotaire, Jack Springston, Mike McGuinness and Don Weekes for an Open Mic show. For the first half of the show we will talk about some industry current events and conferences. For the second half we'll take a look at the Coronavirus and how that issue may affect our industries. Finally, we'll open it up for any other thoughts or current events our listeners are interested in.

John T. Hull - Roofs, Moisture Meters, Inspections & Solutions for Leaks: Lessons Learned from an Industry Veteran!

This week on Iaq Radio+ we welcome John T. Hull. John has over 25 years in the roofing and coatings industries. He is a recognized authority on roof restoration and moisture detection within the roof and building envelope. Mr. Hull has provided technical support, training, and consulting in over 30 Countries. His expertise in roof restoration has contributed to roofing projects at NFL stadiums, airports, universities, hospitals, military bases and even the White house.
"Introduction of the Moisture Mob"
 
The last week of October in 2019 IAQ Radio's own Z-man and Restoration Global Watchdog attended a Technical Symposium on Moisture Detection and Measurement in Dublin, Ireland. The symposium was hosted by Tramex, Ltd the global leader and innovator of high quality precision moisture meters for the building envelope and construction materials.
 
Cliff Zlotnik and Pete Consigli collaborated on a presentation on the History of the Water Damage Restoration and Drying Industry. Other notable industry Subject Matter Experts (SME's) who were invited to present on the technical aspects of the symposium theme were Mickey Lee and Lew Harriman. Mickey and Lew have both been interviewed multiple times over the years on IAQ Radio prior to the symposium and are well known with the show's audience.
 
During the symposium Cliff and Pete got to meet other subject matter experts from the restoration, flooring, roofing and related fields hailing from the US, UK and the EU who were in attendance at this invitation only event. Tramex CEO Andrew Rynhart served as the Symposiarch  (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/symposiarch) presiding over the proceedings and coordinating hand selected SME's to present to the global invitees and Tramex management on their area of expertise.
 
Last November 22nd Andrew was interviewed on IAQradio followed on December 6th by one of the SME's Cliff and Pete heard present in Dublin on concrete. Robert "Bob" Higgins is a leading authority on the properties, characteristics and performance of concrete from its mix ratio, pour, curing process, use as a substrate for floor coverings, to trouble shooting moisture related problems with concrete used in buildings and structures.
 
The Z-man's blog for Bob's podcast was tag lined "Fact or Faction"! In that spirit and in the hallmark and tradition of IAQRadio's unique style and personality, Cliff, Joe and the Restoration Global Watchdog would like to introduce the "Moisture Mob" (MM) to the industry!
 
The Moisture Mob is an informal network of recognized subject matter experts from a variety of related disciplines who are passionate about disseminating accurate information to the industry on how moisture impacts materials and environments.
 
The MM's purpose embraces an "esprit de corps" epitomized in their motto, "Truth and Accuracy in Moisture Measurement...or Face the Consequences!"
 
The consequences of unchecked moisture and humidity in the built environment and building systems and materials can result in product failure, installation problems, uncomfortable living conditions for building occupants and microbial growth and mold which has deleterious effects to the structure and occupant health.
 
In addition to Andrew Rynhart and Bob Higgins other "MM" charter members yet to be interviewed from the Dublin Symposium on IAQradio are Hardwood SME Howard Brickman from Boston, Sports Flooring SME from Atlanta, William Thornton, Flooring Inspector Extraordinaire Roland Vierra from the San Fransisco Bay Area and this week's guest John T. Hull, Roofing SME.
 
Spring boarding off Andrew and Bob's podcasts and blogs, IAQradio will do a series of four shows over the next several weeks with the Moisture Mob. This Friday on Valentine's Day, please join Radio Joe, the Z-man and Restoration's Global Watchdog for an interview with John T. Hull, a sunshine state resident like fellow MM member Bob Higgins. Florida often characterized as "humidity central" is home base for John hailing from the Florida peninsula's gulf coast. John's Moisture Mob's theme for the show will be,"Roofs, Moisture Meters, Inspections & Solutions for Leaks: Lessons Learned from an Industry Veteran!"
 
LEARN MORE this week on IAQ Radio+!

J. David Miller PhD - The New Green Book & The FACTS on Mycotoxins

This week on IAQ Radio+ we welcome J. David Miller, PhD. back to IAQ Radio+ for a discussion on the newly revised AIHA Green Book "Recognition, Evaluation and Control of Indoor Mold" and an in depth discussion of mycotoxins. Dr. Miller received his secondary education at the University of New Brunswick, before studying at the University of Portsmouth in England, where he was also a NATO Science Postdoctoral Fellow. He began his post-university career at Agriculture Canada in 1982, and became head of the Fusarium mycotoxin program in 1988. He became a Professor & NSERC Research Chair at Carleton University in 2000. From 1999-2008, he was a visiting scientist and science advisor in the air health effects section of Health Canada. His work involves the development of methods to assess exposure to determinants of respiratory health in indoor environments and on fungal toxins in food and feed. Dr. Miller has published >350 papers on fungi and fungal toxins and has co-written 10 books on the public health aspects of exposures to fungi, and has several patents. He has served on many national and international committees on mold and dampness in the built environment. He is a fellow of the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

Frank Mortl III, CAE & Phillip Rauscher MPH, CIH, CSP - ACGIH Ex. Dir. & Dir of Science & Education on TLV’s, Bioaerosols and More!

This week on IAQ Radio+ we welcome ACGIH Executive Director Frank Mortl III, CAE  and Director of Science and Education Phillip Rauscher MPH, CIH, CSP.
 
As Executive Director, Mortl is responsible for providing guidance and support to the Board of Directors while leading ACGIH®’s team of professionals who are committed to serving a membership that strives to deliver critically important industrial hygiene knowledge along a wide spectrum of topics ranging from air sampling instruments, bioaerosols, biological exposure indices, industrial ventilation, as well as threshold limit values (TLVs®) for chemical substances and physical agents.
 
Mr. Rauscher is the ACGIH Director of Science and Education. He worked previously as an Industrial Safety Hygienist at the State of Ohio-Division of Safety and Hygiene. He worked primarily in the field performing comprehensive industrial hygiene and engineering surveys to anticipate, identify, evaluate and control airborne contaminants, noise levels and heat/cold stress. He also assisted employers of various industries with development of safety programs and implementation of best practice guidelines. He also worked with stakeholders to educate employers on common hazards in the workplace and compliance with federal and state law through development and implementation of both classroom and online training as well as publicly available educational materials.
 
Mr. Rauscher earned his BS degree in Public Health with a minor in Chemistry from Youngstown State University. He went on to earn his MPH in Environmental/Occupational Health from the University of Toledo. He since has earned a graduate certificate in Quality Management Systems from Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio. In addition to his MPH Mr. Rauscher is a Certified Industrial Hygienist CIH and Certified Safety Professional CSP . 

Open Mic Show - John Lapotaire, Don Weekes, Ken Larsen, Pete Consigli & Ed Light

This week on IAQ Radio+ we welcome The Restoration Industry Global Watchdog, Pete Consigli, Ed Light, John Lapotaire, Don Weekes and Ken Larsen for an Open Mic discussion of current events. Some topics we will explore include hurricane recovery and lessons learned, testing and cleaning up after wildfires, new mold documents and the association conference season.

Jack Springston, CIH, CSP - Mold & IEQ: New Guidance & Current Events

This week on IAQ Radio+ we welcome Jack Springston, CIH, CSP for a discussion on mold and IEQ in NYC and around the country. There are a lot of current events and new guidance documents out or coming out and Jack is on top of it.
 
Jack Springston has over 30 years’ experience in industrial hygiene and occupational health. He’s been a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) since 1993, and is one of less than 50 active CIHs who also hold a sub-specialty certificate in Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ). He is the current Chair of the American Industrial Hygiene Association’s (AIHA) Continuing Education Committee, and in 2012, he was made a distinguished Fellow of AIHA. Jack is currently the Industrial Hygiene Services Manager for ATC Group Services in New York City, Albany, and Long Island.
 
Jack received a BS Degree in Environmental Biology from LIU/Southampton College and a MS Degree in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences from Hunter College. He is a past-Chair of AIHA’s Indoor Environmental Quality committee and Biosafety & Environmental Microbiology committee. In addition, he is currently the Vice Chair of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienist’s (ACGIH) newly reformed Bioaerosols Committee.
 
LEARN MORE this week on IAQ Radio+!

Jim MacDonald & Vincent Begin - Teksill Solutions, Inc. - Innovations in Protection from Water Damage

This week on IAQ Radio+ we welcome Jim MacDonald and Vincent Bégin to discuss an innovation in protection from water damage. Jim developed the TEKSILL vented sill plate and Vincent is their Business Development Director. The Z-man met them on his trip to Ireland and was impressed with them and their product.
 
Jim MacDonald
 
Jim MacDonald’s father brought him up in the building industry. He’s had a hammer in his hands since the age of 3 years old since building an ocean area home in Prince Edwards Island. He understood “built to last”, and has since thrived to always improve his building standards and make sure his construction was completed at the highest quality.
 
One of Jim’s goals has always been to be at the forefront of new technologies in order to meet and anticipate the expectations of his clientele. Throughout his years of renovation experiences, he searched and developed an innovative concept, Teksill Vented Sill Plate, that would reduce the effects of water damage for his clients basement renovation projects. Teksill Vented Sill Plate limits water basement damage, is eco friendly, saves time and money and improves air quality. Jim surrounds himself with a team of highly skilled business professionals, together they strive to become a technology leader in innovative moisture control and damage prevention construction materials to create a clean air quality home.
 
Vincent Begin
 
Founder of Select Supplies/SelectPro in 1989, Mr. Bégin holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Quebec in Montreal. He is the instigator of the Federation of the Disaster Restoration Industry (FIRAS), which brings together the professionals of this industry in Quebec. In February 2011, he founded the Select Academy, a professional training center for the disaster restoration industry and specialized cleaning. In May 2013, Select Supplies opened a branch in Quebec City following the merger with Sibo and Prodium. In 2016 Select Academy and Select Supplies merge to become SelectPro. October 2016, a third branch opens in Brossard and in July 2017 Vincent sold his company to Safety Express a division of Aramsco. Vincent is the Business Development Director for Teksill Solutions Inc. of which he is a shareholder.