Measures to Protect Air Quality in School Construction Projects

In his former role as project manager and estimator for Greg Opinski Construction Inc., Greg Opinski leveraged his extensive background in construction to provide services for large-scale public projects. Today, as the president of OP Development, Greg Opinski focuses on commercial work in addition to rehabilitating distressed properties. OP Development provides a wide array of master planning services for large projects, including school renovations.

School construction projects that occur while buildings are occupied require construction teams to be mindful of air quality concerns. The US Environmental Protection Agency has provided guidelines that aim to protect the health of those in school environments.

There are four main causes of indoor air problems during a renovation:

1. The release of toxic materials such as lead, asbestos, and mold.
2. Construction dust and fumes.
3. Designs that interfere with ventilation systems.
4. Off-gassing that occurs when new materials are installed.
In order to reasonably protect a building’s occupants, construction crews should take several precautions. First, they should test for harmful substances. If they are aware of the presence of lead, asbestos, or mold, they can take appropriate measures for containment. They should also complete work during off hours, such as school breaks or weekends, when possible. 

When work cannot be completed during off hours, managers should include temporary barriers such as plastic sheeting to help contain pollutants. In addition, they should work to keep the site relatively free of debris, dust, and scraps to lessen risk of exposure and injury.

Building officials can also help by keeping occupants away from the construction zones and reducing the likelihood of exposure to harmful airborne items.

Carpenters Must be Detail-Oriented and Have Mechanical Skills

Real estate developer Greg Opinski is a proven construction project manager and estimator. To complement his professional work, Greg Opinski learned carpentry skills that were essential to his responsibilities as a contractor. 

Carpentry is an essential part of construction work. Carpenters require a number of skills to perform well at their job. Two of the most important are eyes for detail and mechanical skills.

Good carpenters have an undeniable eye for detail. Work such as skirting boards and putting finishing touches on kitchen surfaces requires a keen eye. On top of that, carpentry itself requires precision. Carpenters work with architects and engineers to develop structural plans that need to be accurate up to the millimeter. An eye for detail will assist carpenters to get exact measurements for roof and window frames, and other home wooden structures.

Mechanical skills encompass the ability to work with tools and to read technical drawings. Carpenters often work with tools such as laser levels, framing boards, power sanders, and power saws. Therefore, they need to have the mechanical skills to operate these construction tools in their craft while following technical instructions from blueprints and diagrams drawn in collaboration with architects.