Pre-Renovation Survey Readies Portland Building for Improvements

The first step of renovating a building is developing a plan that states project goals, outlines the work that needs to be completed, and includes who’s doing what. It’s common for building owners to assemble a robust and diverse team of professionals to assist with the project. An environmental testing consultant should be included in these efforts to ensure that harmful substances like asbestos and lead are not present before any potential exposures to the construction crew. 

The managers of a property belonging to the City of Portland made sure to include G2’s environmental testing consultants at the onset of their renovation project. Their plans included demolition and painting, two activities that have the potential to expose workers to asbestos and lead. G2 was responsible for performing a pre-renovation survey. This survey can help determine if asbestos or lead are present in building materials that will be disturbed by the renovations. 

Asbestos and lead exposure pose certain health risks. The common signs of exposure to asbestos–a mineral fiber that naturally occurs in rock and soil–include shortness of breath, cough, and chest pain. It’s also classified as a human carcinogen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Even though the federal government passed measures in the late 1970s to reduce the amount of lead in the environment and products, it’s still often found in materials like old paint, ceramics, and pipes. Lead exposure may result in joint and muscle pain, mood changes, and trouble concentrating or remembering things. 

Leaving a building unchecked for lead and asbestos has consequences for the building’s occupants. Learn more about how G2 helped the building managers reduce health risks and protect building occupants during and after the renovation project.