According to Partner Engineering and Science Inc. (Partner), a national environmental and engineering consulting and design firm headquartered in Torrance, Calif., Dr. Douglas Lawson, Ph.D, CIH, has been appointed as technical director of Partner's growing Industrial Hygiene (IH) team. Partner's Industrial Hygiene division provides services to help identify and address potential health and safety risks in buildings during commercial due diligence or redevelopment. Based out of Partner's N.H practice, in this new role Lawson will lead Partner's programs as they relate to health and safety compliance, hazardous materials management, industrial hygiene consulting, training and worker exposure evaluation.
As the commercial real estate industry rebounds post-recession, there is an increase of activity in building renovations, upgrades and demolitions around the country. Industrial hygiene plays an important role in supporting these transactions and investments, particularly during rehabilitation projects where the potential to disturb hazardous building materials such as asbestos or lead-based paint is high. A comprehensive industrial hygiene program will ensure the real estate asset is safe and occupants' or workers' health is protected.