Helix
Environmental, Inc. performs indoor air quality
investigations in residential, commercial and industrial
buildings to evaluate existing conditions and identify
the sources of indoor air quality problems. Helix
Environmental, Inc. also responds to emergency situations
involving immediate health threats to building occupants
and can document acceptable air quality to permit
expedient re-occupancy. Helix Environmental, Inc.
assists building owners and managers to identify
air quality problems and specify corrective engineering
and administrative controls.
Preliminary
indoor air quality investigations focus on evaluating
the indoor air quality conditions in the building,
identification of the sources of the complaints,
as well as evaluation of potential problem areas.
Investigations include the following:
- Documentation
of employee concerns and history of activities
in the building that may affect indoor air quality
- Identification
and evaluation of sources of chemical air contaminants
including measurements of diagnostic air quality
parameters for carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide
and other identified chemical air contaminants.
Evaluation
of microbial contamination including the identification
of growths such as Stachybotrys, Aspergillus,
Legionella, Histoplasma and other microorganisms.
- Inspection
and evaluation of ventilation systems serving
complaint areas.
- Evaluation
of physical stressors that could affect perceptions
of indoor air quality, such as temperature and
humidity levels, lighting, noise, vibration, or
ergonomic stresses.
- Development
of microbial remediation specifications, surveillance
of contractors performing remediation and final
air sampling after microbial remediation to document
acceptable conditions.
Following
initial indoor air quality investigations, recommendations
are provided to correct the identified problem areas
or to perform additional evaluations or suspect
problem areas. Indoor air quality investigations
may require additional evaluation in order to ensure
that recommended controls are effective.
Since
psychosocial stresses are often exacerbated by indoor
air quality complaints, Helix Environmental, Inc.
assists clients in the selection and implementation
of communication programs that will work best in
their particular situation. Psychosocial stresses
can be minimized by frequent and regular communication
to involve the affected occupants.
