In each edition of ANSI/IICRC’s S500 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Water Damage Restoration, dating back to 1994, the mitigation contractor’s stated first priority on a loss site has remained clear: “Eliminate safety hazards”. I am certain that SARS-CoV-2 (the virus) or COVID-19 (the disease) are not what the authors of the standard had in mind.

That was then and this is now! While we would all like to forget 2020, 2021 is a new chance to decide where you want to be!

Protecting return-to-work individuals who had been restricted from gathering in an effort to minimize the spread of COVID-19, and efforts to reopen public indoor spaces safely have led to a lot of interest in how HVAC systems may be adjusted to reduce the spread of the virus. 

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, GOODBYE! While I’m certainly being cognizant enough to enjoy the Christmas season with my family, I am also (like many of you, I’m sure), ready for a New Year!

Working for a state occupational safety and health program and as a safety and health consultant for over 40 years, I have learned the value of understanding the peculiarities of any chemical being used on the job site.

Every December, R&R wraps up the calendar year with a Year in Review. I am here to sum it up for you in one word: Coronavirus. This was the year of a multitude of unknowns. 

When you think of the damage a wildfire causes, most people imagine the destruction and scorching of homes. While these are devastating results of a wildfire, a home does not need to be engulfed in flames to suffer damage. 

We are now digging into equipment sizing and understanding the ANSI/IICRC S500, Edition 4, 2015 (S500) to improve drying performance and are starting with air mover calculations and getting the job properly sized.