Teachers and students alike are back at school. While supply lists are checked off and new clothes are bought, some school administrators are facing what seems like an insurmountable obstacle—a dangerous environmental hazard. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set strict standards for schools in order to protect children, as they are more likely than adults to be negatively affected by environmental hazards. The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) requires public school districts and non-profit schools to
- have their schools inspected for asbestos-containing building material
- have any asbestos-containing materials re-inspected every three years
- comply with the Asbestos National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) if asbestos removal is warranted during a renovation, or if school buildings will be demolished.
If all of those acronyms have your head spinning, it’s time to call Nabholz. Our environmental team is more than ready to assist schools trying to comply with these regulations. From inspecting potential school sites, to checking for asbestos before a remodel, our certified asbestos workers, supervisors, inspectors, and management planners will ensure that everything is done to EPA standards.
We’ve successfully completed a variety of environmental hazard remediation projects—from asbestos and mold removal to organic animal matter clean-up—for schools and universities. We’ve worked for small and large school districts alike and are more than willing to work around your schedule, even if that means working at night. As a matter of fact, when one of our school clients recently needed a new roof but discovered that the old one had asbestos-containing materials, our team worked at night to safely remove the old roof section by section, allowing the roofers to work during the day and keep the project on schedule.
