ACAC News
The American Council for Accredited Certification promotes awareness, education and certification for professionals. Their mission is to establish credible certification programs that provide value to the certificant, their clients and the public. It is the goal to serve the public interest with integrity as an independent certifying body.
ACAC currently offers 38 certifications in a wide range of disciplines including Indoor Environmental Investigation & Consulting, Microbial Remediation, Residential Mold Inspection, Infection Control, Structural Drying, Emergency Operations, Thermography, Fire & Smoke Damage, Allergens, Emergency Operations, IAQ Administration and more.
In-Depth Articles
ACAC.LIVE maintains an extensive and growing library of documents and audios in a range of fields, including HVAC, microbial consulting, mold, microbial remediation, infection control, asbestos, lead, fire & smoke damage investigations and consulting, asthma & allergens, exposure prevention, indoor air quality, infectious diseases, insurance, moisture control, nuclear disasters, microbial and aerosol sampling, structural drying, thermography, ventilation, respiratory protection, industrial hygiene, chemical exposure, energy, toxicology, wildfires, coal dust, crystalline silica, microbiology, health consultations, vapor intrusion, pandemics, flood damage, occupational injuries, construction, health & safety, sanitation, drinking water, cleaning, facilities, hazards, biotoxins, drywall, legionella, hospitals & nursing homes, combustible dust, school environmental policies, emergency response, radiological, illicit drugs exposure, laboratories, IAQ Administration, analytical methods, studies and many more.
Industry News
Renovation Triggers Widespread Illness
An overnight renovation project in a state office building led to a surge of employee illnesses, with more than 90% of workers reporting symptoms such as headaches, nausea, and respiratory irritation that improved away from the site.
A federal report attributes the outbreak to indoor air quality failures, including the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from plumbing adhesives and fragrances, combined with inadequate ventilation and pathways that allowed contaminants to spread into occupied areas.
Investigators also identified compounding environmental hazards, including mold growth, musty odors linked to moisture issues and lead-containing dust tracked into office spaces.
Silica Dust Exposure in Countertop Industry
Federal health officials are raising alarms over continued worker exposure to respirable crystalline silica in the countertop industry, where cutting, grinding, and polishing materials can release hazardous dust linked to silicosis and other serious diseases.
The OSHA and NIOSH alert highlights that inadequate dust controls and inconsistent use of respiratory protection still leave many workers at risk despite established exposure limits and safety standards.
Officials urge employers to adopt comprehensive control strategies and monitoring practices to prevent overexposure and protect worker health in both fabrication shops and on-site installations.
Guidance for Indoor Air Quality Professionals
Health Canada’s Guidance for Indoor Air Quality Professionals emphasizes that indoor air quality is a key environmental determinant of health, warning that chemical and biological contaminants in buildings can pose significant risk to occupants.
The document stresses that maintaining healthy indoor environments depends on three core strategies; eliminating contaminant sources, improving ventilation with outdoor air, and filtering indoor air.
The guidance also outlines major indoor air hazards - including carbon monoxide, radon, mold, particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and VOCs. Health Canada advises that when IAQ concerns arise, qualified professionals may be needed to investigate building systems, identify contamination sources and implement corrective actions.
ACAC Fire & Smoke Damage Guide
A certification exam study/review guide from the ACAC details the scientific principles and investigative practices underpinning fire and smoke damage assessment, emphasizing the complexity of combustion and its by-products.
From structure fires to wildfires and protein fires, the document underscores how each scenario produces distinct residues and risks.
The guide further stresses assessing smoke damage is both a scientific and interpretive process, requiring careful sampling, laboratory analysis, and comparisons to background conditions due to the absence of universal standards for acceptable contamination levels.