ECA hosts seminar on avoiding infections disease liability without raising costs on healthcare institutions

The Environmental Contractors Association (ECA) recently hosted a special discussion on Avoiding Infectious Disease Liability Without Raising Costs in Healthcare Institutions at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers. Over 50 healthcare facility and environmental contracting professionals gathered to hear an expert panel discuss effective environmental remediation that lowers liability and costs for healthcare facilities. The panel was led by including Gary DiPaolo of Structure Tone, Inc.; Douglas Glorie, P.E., of STV Inc.; Denise Holzka of Heidell, Pittoni, Murphy & Bach, LLP; Morris Napolitano of Degmor, Inc. and Uday Singh of Industrial Hygiene Consultants. The panel addressed the importance of proper training for all healthcare jobsites and ways to put in place ICRA training and practices that keep all workers and occupants of the facility safe and free of hospital-acquired infections. The potential for the spread of infectious diseases is a paramount concern for healthcare professionals and administrators. With the number of healthcare facility renovations currently on the rise, the panel provided a timely discussion of proper procedures and training for the renovation of occupied facilities. Topics of discussion included prevention of the spread of infectious disease and environmental remediation concerns in healthcare facilities, regulation of remediation protocols, certification for remediation professionals, innovative technologies, best practices and risk management for healthcare professionals and facilities. The discussion was part of the ECA's new communications campaign aimed at raising standards for the environmental remediation industry and for all contractors conducting infectious disease mitigation work at healthcare facilities. To achieve this goal, the ECA has invested over $10 million in training for ECA member contractors and has been working with city, state and federal agencies to develop remediation legislation to regulate emergency response and infectious disease control. The ECA has also launched a groundbreaking Labor-Management Safety Compliance initiative including training by the Mason Tenders Training Fund. The ECA will continue this campaign when it hosts its 3rd Annual Environmental Conference on October 25, 2012, featuring a follow-up discussion to the healthcare topics covered in May. The Environmental Contractors Association (ECA) is New York's premier trade association of environmental contractors. The ECA has grown from just a handful of contractors in 1996 to over fifty member firms today that specialize in hazardous materials removal, emergency response, asbestos removal and infectious detection and clean-up among other environmental services. The ECA works with a wide range of clients and has built a strong reputation through partnerships with public agencies that shape environmental policy. For more information about the ECA and its services, visit www.ecanyc.org or contact Joyce Nastasi at (212) 682-0062 or via e-mail at [email protected].