Performing a mid-year checkup for supplies, paperwork and insurance compliance can avoid potentially costly exposure and missed opportunities during busy season.
June 1 brings the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, which covers the North Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico) and the Caribbean Sea. Early predictions from Colorado State University hurricane researchers indicate above-average activity for the duration of the season.
“The CSU team is predicting 17 named storms during the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. Of those, researchers forecast nine to become hurricanes and four to reach major hurricane strength (Saffir/Simpson Category 3, 4 or 5) with sustained winds of 111 miles per hour or greater,” according to a report from CSU’s Tropical Cyclones, Radar, Atmospheric Modeling, and Software (TC-RAMS) Team within the Department of Atmospheric Science.
In addition, the report notes the following statistics concerning the likelihood of “major hurricanes making landfall in 2025:
- 51% for the entire U.S. coastline (average from 1880–2020 is 43%).
- 26% for the U.S. East Coast, including the Florida peninsula (average from 1880–2020 is 21%).
- 33% for the Gulf Coast from the Florida panhandle westward to Brownsville, Texas (average from 1880–2020 is 27%).
- 56% for the Caribbean (average from 1880–2020 is 47%).”
It’s important for environmental testing companies to prepare now for what could be a resource-intensive season by having a business hurricane preparation kit/checklist so you can be ready when your clients need you.
Checklist
- Be sure your air cassette, tape, swab, contact and agar plate inventory is sufficient for increased demand – check expiration dates where applicable.
- Review chains of custody (COC) on your lab’s website to confirm your technicians have the latest versions. If you use your own COCs, make sure all technicians are using the most updated forms that reflect all of the testing your company performs.
- Make sure plastic bags in sufficient quantities are available to bundle projects or collect bulk asbestos samples if necessary.
- Print shipping labels and collect supplies to transport samples (labels typically expire after 45 days). Establish a regular cadence for reprinting labels at 45-day intervals and destroying old labels through the hurricane season.
- Batteries for flashlights, towel, extra change of clothes and/or socks to keep yourself dry. Ringworm thrives in warm, wet conditions. Your best defense is to dry yourself completely after leaving the job site.
In addition to ensuring environmental testing companies have the sampling supplies they need to assist their clients on hand, it’s important to confirm your environmental laboratory’s accreditations comply with your insurer’s professional liability requirements. Failure to know and understand the requirements can lead to an absence of coverage in potentially costly litigation.
The primary accrediting bodies for environmental testing laboratories include AIHA LAP, A2LA, ANLAB and NELAP. Because there is no regular schedule upon which laboratories are accredited, it is good practice to check at least twice a year to confirm good standing. In addition, ensure your laboratory is accredited for the field of testing, to include the analyte and method required of samples you are collecting on behalf of clients. Just because a laboratory is accredited does not mean that all types of testing services offered are approved and covered. Links to help with research are included below:
NELAP
NELAP does not have a single, central directory for all accredited laboratories. However, you can find information about accredited laboratories through state-level agencies and The NELAC Institute. Refer to https://nelac-institute.org/content/NELAP/accred-bodies.php for a list of NELAP-Recognized Accreditation Bodies and links to State Accreditation Databases.
Taking steps now to prepare for hurricane season will enable environmental testing companies to effectively assist clients and protect business operations and minimize liability exposure.
