PROJECTS

SITE SAFETY

MOTION PICTURE SAFETY, VARIOUS LOCATIONS, CA, NM, NC, HI,  E-MAR Resources provides worker safety monitoring for the entertainment industry.  Electronic instruments used to monitor smoke and fire effects on such productions as Iron Man III, Thor, Iron Man II, War of the Worlds, Mission Impossible III, Iron Man, World Trade Center, Valkyrie, G. I. Joe, Indiana Jones-IV, Heroes, Couples Retreat.  Protects cast and crew from over-exposure to flammable vapors, carbon monoxide, smoke and dust.

LANDFILL MITIGATION SAFETY, CARSON, CA,  Mr. Ridosh served as project CIH and as Site Safety Officer for a 187 acre landfill remediation at the former Cal Compact landfill in Carson. This multi-year project included compaction, the installation of a leachate collection system, gas collection system, thermal incineration system,  A major commercial development is planned for construction on the landfill site.

EPA REGION 9 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TEAM, SAN FRANCISCO, CA,  Mr. Ridosh served as the Technical Assistance Team Leader for U.S. EPA, Region 9, which involved managing a team of professionals that supported the U.S. EPA in emergency response, assessment, and remediation at over 100 hazardous waste sites. Projects included removal of pesticides and PCB contamination from 39 sites in the South Pacific, removal of 2,700 drums of heavy metal and acid solutions, and removal of 1,700 drums of acid sludge.  Provided oversight and liaison on the One Market Plaza PCB fire, and dioxin cleanup.

FUEL TANK DEMOLITION, OIL REFINERY, LOS ANGELES, CA,  E-MAR Resources provided site safety supervision for a project to demolish three large above ground fuel storage tanks. The tanks were coated with lead-based paint. A key issue was to measure and evaluate worker exposure to lead while performing scraping and torch cutting of lead-based paint coated surfaces. Observed site work to enforce safety compliance including hard hats, safety shoes, traffic vests, safe work practices, man lifts, vehicle traffic, etc. Conducted Tailgate Safety Meetings and maintained Daily Activity Logs.

LANDFILL DRILLING, LOS ANGELES, CA,  E-MAR Resources provided site safety supervision for a project to install 50 gas, ground water and leachate extraction wells. Continuous air monitoring was performed to measure and evaluate worker exposure to VOCs and hydrogen sulfide while performing the drilling. Conducted Tailgate Safety Meetings, maintained Daily Logs, and Air Monitoring Logs. Observed site work to enforce safety compliance including hard hats, safety shoes, traffic vests, safe work practices, drill rigs, vehicle traffic, etc.

LEVEE CONSTRUCTION, LA, CA,  E-MAR Resources conducted site safety meetings and audits. Observed site work to enforce safety compliance including PPE, safe work practices, truck traffic, truck handling, speed limits, etc. Reviewed incident reports. Provided Quality Control support in the form of inputting data on truckload quantities, and inspecting placement and thickness of soil and rock layers on the levee face.

TUNNELING SAFETY, DWP, LOS ANGELES,  E-MAR Resources provided and monitored an air ventilation system, air monitoring with PID and LEL/O2 instrumentation. Levels of VOC and benzene contamination were continually measured in the 26 foot deep excavation where workers were conducting a tunneling operation. The tunneling operation encountered a pocket of gasoline contamination that endangered workers, adjacent public businesses and passersby. Concentrations of VOCs and benzene exceeded OSHA PEL levels. The engineering controls, ventilation, and continuous monitoring controlled the exposure levels, and allowed the project to proceed.

ASBESTOS REMEDIATION, LIBBY, MT,  E-MAR Resources provided site safety, on site training, and project kickoff support for an asbestos related project in Libby, Montana. The safety plan was reviewed and modified, the decontamination facility specified, respiratory training, and FIT testing conducted. Zones of control were established, air monitoring conducted, and coordination with the construction management contractor accomplished.

MILITARY BASE, CALIFORNIA E-MAR Resources managed a project intended to locate, excavate and sample 12 USTs in the barracks area of a U.S. Army base. After two days of excavation, no tanks were found. Only piping remained in the ground. The USTs had been removed previously.

MILITARY BASE, CALIFORNIA E-MAR Resources provided site safety for a project to remove a waste oil UST on a U.S. Navy base in northern California. The 1000 gallon tank was uncovered, cleaned, removed, and transported for disposal. Samples were collected from the excavation, soil stockpiles, and groundwater. The excavation was backfilled and compacted when the samples showed minimal contamination.

OSHA SAFETY TRAINING

40-HOUR OSHA HAZWOPER TRAINING, E-MAR Resources has presented hazardous waste safety courses to the U.S. Forest Service, Arizona Highway Patrol, California Water Resources Board, U.C. Davis, U.C. Berkeley, U.S. Navy, Lawrence Livermore Laboratories, Tetra Tech, CKY Inc., Los Angeles School District, Groundwater Technology, Pacific Valve, Lovco Construction, Toxic Treatments, and many other firms and agencies.

HAZARD COMMUNICATION AND RCRA FACILITY TRAIINING, VARIOUS LOCATIONS,  E-MAR Resources has provided the OSHA required HAZCOM, RCRA, IIPP, GHS, and other types of training for numerous companies and agencies.  Training by objectives includes a manual, handouts, exercised, audio visual presentations, and a confirmatory test.

LEAD AWARENESS TRAINING, CALTRANS, CA,  E-MAR Resources provided Lead Safety Awareness training and site safety supervision to workers doing CalTrans work on several highway construction projects.  Concerns included lead based paint highway striping, and lead contaminated soil adjacent to the highway.

DEMOLITION COMPANY, LOS ANGELES,  E-MAR Resources presented OSHA 40-hour hazardous waste site worker training in compliance with 29 CFR 1910.120. Eight workers were lectured, shown videos, and participated in exercises, instrument demonstrations and other learning experiences. An evaluation test was given at the completion of the course. Training certificates and wallet cards were provided for the successful students.

CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, SANTA FE SPRINGS E-MAR Resources presented OSHA 40-hour hazardous waste site worker training in compliance with 29 CFR 1910.120. The course was presented over two consecutive weekends. Workers were lectured, shown videos, and participated in exercises, instrument demonstrations and other learning experiences. An evaluation test was given at the completion of the course. Two of the workers were given an additional 8 hours of training to qualify as Site Supervisors. Certificates of Completion and wallet cards were presented.

APPLIANCE MANUFACTURER, CARSON E-MAR Resources provided Fire Protection Safety Training for 10 plant personnel. Training consisted of a video, classroom lecture, and a field exercise consisting of extinguishing a gasoline fire with a fire extinguisher.

CONCRETE CUTTING COMPANY, LOS ANGELES,  E-MAR Resources presented OSHA 40-hour hazardous waste site worker training in compliance with 29 CFR 1910.120. Six workers were lectured, shown videos, and participated in exercises, instrument demonstrations and other learning experiences. An evaluation test was given at the completion of the course. Training certificates and wallet cards were provided for the successful students. The course was given on two weekends.

INDUSTRIAL COMPANY, HUNTINGTON BEACH Four hours of Hazard Communication Standard training was presented to a company in the business of concrete finishing. Forty two employees were trained to meet the OSHA HAZCOM requirement. The training included videotapes, overhead projection slides, handouts, and a performance evaluation test. The training was presented in Spanish as well as English. Certificates of Completion were issued.
 

BIOLOGICAL CONTAMINATION

EXPERT WITNESS, VARIOUS LOCATIONS,  Mr. Ridosh has qualified as an expert witness, and testified in over 30 cases involving mold contamination.  Depositions were given for both defense and plaintiff. 

RESIDENTIAL MOLD INVESTIGATIONS, CA E-MAR Resources has conducted mold inspections and sampling in over 500 homes throughout California.  Testing involved spore trap air sampling, surface sampling, wall cavity testing, and moisture testing. 

CAMP PENDLETON, CA Two eighty room barracks buildings were investigated and tested for mold contamination. A remediation plan was written to abate the mold found in over 40 of the rooms, and three laundry rooms.

MULTIPLE HOME INSPECTIONS, FAIRFIELD, CA,  E-MAR was engaged as a subcontractor to another firm to perform home mold inspections in 38 homes. The client was a law firm involved in a construction defect case.

LEGIONELLA TESTING, TUCSON, AZ,  An elderly woman became very sick, and a biopsy of her lung tissue indicated the presence of Legionella, the causative bacteria producing Legionnaire's disease. A question arose as to the possible source, and if her spouse living in the same residence experience exposure to Legionella. A sampling protocol was developed and performed which included five swab samples, six water samples, and two air samples for Legionella contamination, and ten additional air and swab samples for mold contamination. 

LEGIONELLA TESTING, ARCADIA, CA,  An outbreak of Legionella in a residential facility was investigated. Several cases of Legionnaire's disease occurred.  Past testing, water treatment and water distribution in the facility were evaluated.  Recommendations were made to mitigate the problem.

APARTMENT BUILDINGS, LOS ANGELES E-MAR Resources conducted a visual survey of 100 apartment units in two apartment buildings in downtown Los Angeles. The inspection included looking for mold growth and water damage. Apartments exhibiting mold were identified for later testing. Some tenants were evacuated.

RESIDENCE, MALIBU E-MAR Resources conducted a visual inspection of the affected areas of the home, did air sampling, and supervised the mold remediation.  These activities were photo-documented. The report described the information gathered and the results and recommendations.

MEDICAL CENTER, MONTCLAIR E-MAR Resources conducted a visual inspection of the medical imaging center. Interviews were conducted with the property owner. A major sewage leak had flooded several of the offices, patient rooms, and scanning facilities. A doctor reported symptoms of mold exposure. Moisture level measurements were made and air samples were collected for laboratory testing, including a WallChek sample. Elevated levels of Stachybotrys chartarum were found. These activities were photo-documented and a written report described the results and provided recommendations.

LAW FIRM, ALISO VIEJO, CA,  A client company of E-MAR Resources requested a visual inspection for mold and water damage in twelve condominium units. The inspection was related to lawsuits against the bathroom construction companies. Two to three bathrooms in each unit were inspected, as well as other potentially mold causing areas such as the laundry rooms, garages, landscaping, kitchen sink areas, etc. Moisture testing was done. The activities were photo-documented and a written report described the results of the inspections.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER, ENCINO,  The management company of a shopping mall had a tenant with several employees complaining of health symptoms. They believed that the symptoms were related to mold growth resulting from an earlier sewage spill in an upper floor unit. A visual inspection and air sampling showed no evidence of mold growth in the unit.

CONDOMINIUM COMPLEX, LAS VEGAS The builder of a condominium complex retained a construction company and E-MAR Resources to address problems associated with water intrusion resulting from a construction defect. The construction company repaired the roofing of 50 units, and abated the mold where found in 12 units. E-MAR provided air sampling before and after the abatement. As more contaminated units were found, the scope of the project continued to expand. At times extraordinary responses were required to clear the units for re-occupancy by the residents, including night and weekend sampling.

RESIDENCE, MALIBU COLONY, CA A homeowner with a tenant reported that mold was suspected in this residence. Severe water damage had occurred in several areas of the home. Very high levels of mold were found in one bedroom. A second round of sampling utilizing the WalChek technique to test inside the walls traced the source to a stall shower. A remediation plan was developed to abate the problem. The remediation was implemented, and clearance sampling performed.

SEWAGE SPILL, WOODLAND HILLS A residence experienced a flood of raw sewage when a sewer line in the street plugged. Sewage flowed through the laundry room, bathroom, and kitchen of the house. After cleanup, E-MAR Resources was asked to sample the residence for fecal coliform bacteria. Samples were collected on sterile swabs, and sent for analysis. Every sample showed the continued presence of fecal coliform bacteria. An expanded cleanup was proposed, and implemented. Further testing showed the residence to be free of sewage related bacteria.

CONDOMINIUM COMPLEX, CANYON COUNTRY, CA The builder lost a buyer due to water intrusion and suspected mold in a unit. Water damage had occurred in several areas of the home. Air sampling found levels of mold, including Stachybotrys, to be elevated in the unit. A report was prepared, including a remediation plan to abate the problem.
 

INDOOR AIR QUALITY

ELECTRONICS COMPANY, CHATSWORTH E-MAR Resources provided personnel, air and surface wipe sampling for a printed circuit board manufacturing plant. It was believed that hexavalent chromium contamination from a plating operation might have been responsible for illness experienced by several workers. Personnel were equipped with air sampling pumps for eight-hour periods. Stationary air sampling pumps were deployed, and surface wipe samples were collected in various work areas. Chemical analysis was arranged, and the results were interpreted in a report.

AEROSPACE COMPANY, VALENCIA E-MAR Resources provided air sampling for a warehouse at an aircraft parts manufacturing facility. An employee had complained about health effects from breathing aluminum dust. Pumps were deployed in various locations throughout the warehouse. Eight hour shift samples were collected. Chemical analysis was arranged, and the results were reported.

AEROSPACE COMPANY, BURBANK E-MAR Resources provided personnel air sampling for an aerospace manufacturing plant. The requirement was for routine monitoring of the exposure to continue improvement of the working conditions. Several metals, acid gases, particulates, organic vapors, and cyanide were evaluated. The activity areas included a plating operation, abrasive blasting, and deburring. Nine workers were equipped with air sampling pumps for eight-hour periods. Stationary air sampling pumps were deployed in some of the work areas. Chemical analysis was arranged, and a report was provided.

BATTERY MANUFACTURER, ANAHEIM A battery company was requested by the local fire department to evaluate the generation of hydrogen in their battery recharging operation. E-MAR Resources went to the site, and sampled the air in the recharging area for hydrogen. Both a real time hydrogen gas instrument and colorimetric detector tubes for hydrogen were used. Although hydrogen was detected, the levels were well below the explosive risk level.

OFFICE BUILDING, SANTA MONICA E-MAR Resources conducted indoor air quality sampling and testing in an office building. Occupants had reported offensive odors at irregular intervals. A visual survey, employee questionnaire, real time air testing, and Summa canister sampling was conducted.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION

SITE REMEDIATION PROJECTS,  Mr. Ridosh managed a $1.1 million Underground Tank removal and replacement project for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works.  He supervised the cleanup and removal of several hundred tons of metals contaminated soil at Sharpe Army Depotand a project involving the removal of two pesticide waste containment vaults at China Lake Naval Weapons Station. Other US Navy projects include: fuel pipeline abandonment at Lemoore NAS, contaminated soil removal at Rough and Ready Island, tank cleaning at Point Molate, slope erosion stabilization at Point Loma.

RADIOACTIVE SOIL REMEDIATION, PAINESVILLE, OH,  Safety Officer for a 150 acre low level radioactive FUSRAP site remediation.  Working for the US Army Corps of Engineers, the remediation included the excavation, rail transportration and disposal of 1500 tons of contaminated soil.  

SOIL EXCAVATION AND REMOVAL, LOS ANGELES, CA,  Mr. Ridosh supervised a project for the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission for the investigation, identification, The soil had become contaminated with low levels of uranium during the Manhattan Project. removal and proper disposal of hundreds of tons of contaminated soil and other hazardous substances encountered during the construction of the Los Angeles Metro Rail Project.

UST REMOVAL, MARCH AFB, CA,  Mr. Ridosh managed a $1.6 million UST removal and remediation project for the U.S. Air Force at March AFB. At this IRP site, twenty UST facilities were removed, abandoned, or remediated.  Issues such as ongoing military operations, sub-surface utilities, and public impacts were addressed.

PLATING SHOP, BURBANK, CA,  An aerospace company decided to demolish and remediate a plating operation which was abandoned for over ten years. This facility was inside an active manufacturing plant. All tanks and fixtures were removed, the concrete floor was demolished, and sub-floor soil was excavated in several phases. E-MAR Resources provided quality control oversight, wrote the soil sampling plan, performed soil sampling, evaluated the analytical results, and made recommendations for further remediation and disposal. Surface soil sampling was performed by hand, and a hollow stem auger was used to sample at depth. Contaminants of concern included cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc. Contamination was found to a depth of twenty feet.

CARGO SHIP, LOS ANGELES, CA,  A ship's crew member complained that this cargo ship was covered from stem to stern with asbestos and lead contamination. Personnel were objecting to boarding the ship after docking to unload the cargo. E-MAR Resources was requested to provide a response on a Sunday, which included collecting surface wipe and air samples. A testing laboratory was placed on standby for the Sunday work, and the samples were hand carried to the lab. The samples proved negative for asbestos, and showed minimal levels of lead. The ship was successfully unloaded on schedule.