J.S. Held Acquires Clark Seif Clark, Strengthening West Coast Capabilities for Environmental Claims, Disputes, and Catastrophe Response
Read MoreOur team of Certified Industrial Hygienists (CIHs), Certified Safety Professionals (CSPs), and environmental scientists provide industrial hygiene services for matters involving asbestos, lead, mold, legionella, smoke, noise, occupational risks, and other hazards.
J.S. Held industrial hygiene experts are retained to perform exposure assessments, environmental sampling, indoor air quality testing, noise and moisture mapping, and cause and origin investigations. Our expertise helps corporate, governmental, insurance, and legal professionals understand how workplace conditions may affect occupants, workers, and ongoing operations. We also develop risk mitigation programs that provide practical monitoring solutions for environmental and occupational hazards.
We are engaged by insurance professionals, legal counsel, owners/developers, property managers, construction and real estate companies, financial institutions, governments agencies, utilities, and risk managers to identify, evaluate, and control environmental, physical, chemical, and biological workplace hazards.
Our team is composed of:
J.S. Held industrial hygienists are retained to evaluate buildings for asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) in components including insulation, flooring, textured paint, ceiling and roofing systems, and other building materials. Both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) require an asbestos inspection before demolishing, restoring, or remodeling most properties.
Our expertise includes asbestos inspections and sampling strategies, documentation of ACMs, and development of abatement specifications if ACMs are discovered. During abatement, we monitor remediation activities and conduct clearance testing to verify asbestos removal post-abatement. Our evaluations and findings are utilized in regulatory compliance, restoration projects, and insurance claim-related matters.
Water intrusion and damage are not always visible, and concealed moisture can affect building assemblies, finishes, and contents long after an event occurs. Our industrial hygienists perform moisture mapping assessments to survey affected areas and document moisture readings across materials, as well as infrared imagery to identify moisture patterns, gradients, and hidden migration pathways.
Our moisture mapping and thermal imagery assessments are used when damage is intermittent or localized, when odors or humidity complaints persist, or when the full pathway is not apparent through visual inspection alone. Our findings help define the extent of affected components and separate wet, drying, and unaffected areas, informing additional destructive testing that may be required and remediation decisions.
Water damage can result in mold growth and, if left untreated, impact indoor air quality and cause potential harm to human health. Our industrial hygienists and mycologists conduct mold investigations and mold testing to evaluate affected materials, identify moisture drivers, and determine whether the observed conditions support mold amplification, then deliver our findings so stakeholders understand the impacts and contributing conditions.
We then develop strategic remediation protocols that define containment, cleaning, and removal approaches aligned with building use, occupant considerations, and the materials involved, with procedures tailored to the scope and access constraints of the site. Post-remediation verification testing documents conditions following remediation and confirms that cleaning and removal activities effectively addressed the areas of concern.
After a fire event, smoke residue and odors can affect building materials, finishes, contents, and indoor environments, including areas that may not show visible damage.
Our fire and smoke damage assessments include site observation, detailed photo documentation, and evaluation of affected rooms, assemblies, and contents, along with review of building use, ventilation conditions, and restoration activities completed to date. When necessary, we provide material sampling and testing to determine smoke impact and extent of damage, which can help address soot and residue characterization, particulate conditions, and combustion-related byproducts that influence restoration scope and approach, contents handling, material removal decisions, and re-occupancy planning. Following cleaning and restoration, we conduct clearance testing to verify safe re-occupancy of the space or if any issues remain and require additional attention.
Our industrial hygienists help clients develop comprehensive risk mitigation programs that address environmental and occupational hazards by defining monitoring approaches, control measures, and procedures aligned with site conditions and operational requirements. These occupational hazard risks may include chemical exposures, airborne particulate matter, noise, heat stress, and task-specific safety issues, in addition to building-related concerns such as mold, asbestos, lead, and smoke that can affect indoor environments and human health.
We help establish how hazards will be identified, monitored, and controlled over time, with practical direction that teams can apply in the field and be maintained through changing site conditions. Program elements include sampling and monitoring plans, evaluation of engineering and administrative controls, review of work practices and sequencing, personal protective equipment (PPE) considerations, and written procedures for managing hazards. As conditions evolve, programs can incorporate updates to monitoring frequency, trigger criteria for additional evaluation, and define role-based responsibilities so hazard management remains consistent from planning through execution.
J.S. Held industrial hygienists evaluate indoor air quality concerns that may be affecting a public or commercial space, as well as its occupants. Our services combine observation and review of building history, moisture conditions, ventilation, and other factors, with on-site sampling and monitoring unique to the indoor air quality claim or investigation.
Our services help address concerns including mold, asbestos, lead, smoke, combustion byproducts, particulate matter, and other indoor air contaminants. These assessments identify likely sources of pollutants, define the extent of the affected area(s), and aid in determining the appropriate response, providing actionable insight for corporate, governmental, insurance, and legal professionals.
icon to view the directory
Our insights cover a variety of topics impacting businesses, society, the economy, and the environment. Check out our latest white papers, research reports, educational seminars, industry speaking engagements, and perspective articles.
Compliance with Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations
Safe Recovery of Personal Effects Following Wildfires
Mold Contamination in a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Facility
School District Air Quality
Bond Issues
Hospital Environmental & Safety Issues
Environmental Concerns
New School Building
Aircraft Testing Wind Tunnel
Hibernia National Bank Redevelopment
New Jersey Commercial High-Rise
New Orleans World Trade Center Building
Housing Authority of New Orleans
Teaching Seminary Impacted by Hurricane Ida
Cascade Facility
