Air Date: 9-21-2018|Episode 517
This week on IAQradio+ we welcome Steven M. Spivak, Ph.D., CText, FTI, FSFPE, FSES. Dr, Spivak is chair of the Cleaning Industry Research Institute International (CIRI) Science Advisory Council and professor emeritus of fire protection engineering at the University of Maryland in College Park. Dr. Spivak served as Technical Advisor for the Restoration Industry Association formerly known as ASCR International for almost 4 decades. In that role his monthly column called Technical Topics in C&R magazine was a favorite with RIA members. Dr. Spivak has authored a book on Standards and Best Practices. He has written extensively on textile construction & chemistry and fire protection codes & practices. Spivak’s writings serve as an authoritative resource for the dry cleaning and laundry industry and code officials and building developers.
IAQradio is pleased to follow up on our interview with Dr. Spivak from a decade ago to update our listeners from his post RIA technical advisory role, to chat about the science of cleaning and restoration and in his role as CIRI’s Science Advisory Council chair.
Z-man’s Blog:
“Only Science Can See”
This week on IAQradio+ we welcome Steven M. Spivak, Ph.D., CText, FTI, FSFPE, FSES. Dr. Spivak is chair of the Cleaning Industry Research Institute International (CIRI) Science Advisory Council and professor emeritus of fire protection engineering at the University of Maryland in College Park. Dr. Spivak served as Technical Advisor for the Restoration Industry Association formerly known as ASCR International for almost 4 decades. In that role his monthly column called Technical Topics in C&R magazine was a favorite with RIA members. Dr. Spivak has authored a book on Standards and Best Practices. He has written extensively on textile construction & chemistry and fire protection codes & practices. Spivak’s writings serve as an authoritative resource for the dry cleaning and laundry industry and code officials and building developers.
IAQradio Episode 93 blog
Steven M. Spivak, PhD is a Professor Emeritus, University of Maryland, Technical Advisor to RIA and an icon in the cleaning and disaster restoration industry. Dr. Spivak was a guest on IAQradio on August 15, 2008 before I began writing the blogs.
Nuggets mined from today’s episode:
- Steve Spivak is in his 4th career.
- Steve inherited his interest in textiles from his father who designed textiles for clothing.
- Steve wanted to study engineering and fell in love with textile engineering and has loved it ever since.
- Fire Protection Engineering isn’t about fighting fires; it is the application of engineering fire safety into materials and structures.
- Flammability is a key issue in textile engineering.
- There are 1,000s of textile burn related injuries and hundreds of deaths annually. Furnishings are closely tied to fire safety. The potential flammability of upholstered furniture in homes is a major safety concern.
- Which is the greater flammability concern, synthetic fibers or natural fibers? Likely it’s not what you think; synthetic fibers (nylon & polyester) melt and shrink away from flames while natural fibers (viscose, cotton & rayon) burn like paper.
- Steve is a sought after expert in personal injury cases involving garments and protective clothing.
- The University of MD’s Fire Engineering Dept. did post 911 computer modeling.
In 1975-76 Association of Interior Décor Specialists were looking for fiber and textile expertise. In 1981 the association rebranded to Association of Specialists in Cleaning & Restoration International (ASCR) and today is known as the Restoration Industry Association when ASCR rebranded to RIA in 2007. They told him the work was simple and that there was little to do. He’s loved the industry ever since. He wrote 300+ articles in Cleaning and Restoration magazine.
New furniture may have 2 or 3 labels attached. The Warning Label (the one marked not to be removed) deals with the interior components of stuffing, not the face fabric. According to Steve, the label likely originated due to the prior use of horsehair and potential concern over anthrax. Distributor’s name tag. Voluntary cleanability code label: W, S or X. And the UFAC (Upholstered Furniture Action Council) hang tag cigarette ignition resistance useful and useless.
Cleaning Industry Research Institute International (CIRI) CIRI is a 501 C3, educational, science research organization. CIRI develops and reports on research and science related to cleaning. CIRI’s credo is “you can’t believe your eyes, only science can see.” Eyeball checks are ineffective and insufficient. We must test and measure to know if cleanliness, hygiene and value have been improved. CIRI’s educational events are typically 1.5-2 days in length. At CIRI events there are no exhibitors or products. (Videos of proceedings are available.) Presentations and papers are previewed in advance. CIRI has 5 science advisers who are meant to work for the industry.
Clean standards- infield measurements with ATP (Adenosine triphosphate, is the energy currency of life. ATP is a high-energy molecule found in every cell. Its job is to store and supply the cell with needed energy) of total bio load on surfaces. The independent unbiased study neither rated nor assessed cleaning products. Another study capturing current practice evaluated the real life annual maintenance costs in schools of maintaining flooring hard surfaces versus carpet. Developing measurement protocols through real life performance and real science.
Unintended consequences of green products include a potential need for more labor or more water. Cleaning green isn’t green cleaning. Cleaning green involves: First cleaning and cleaning effectively. Green may be a benefit? Green products and green claims are confusing to end-users. Competitive certification programs. Self-certification programs. Compromises in products are necessary. There is no green bullet or magic answer. Buyers should ask questions and demand supporting in formation. There is no best green certification. There are no FTC green marketing guidelines.
People involved in standards development are passionate. Standards are critically important. We couldn’t import or export products without standards. Almost no one learns about standards in university. After university in the workplace those involved in standards learn about it when given a book by the boss along with a command to do it. Steve was first to do an oddball experiment, introducing a college course on Standards and Standardization at the University of MD. The Course was subsequently recognized internationally, leading to his chairing an ISO policy committee in Geneva, Switzerland. The ISO is comprised of country members; each country has its own standards body. Standards development work in most countries is govt. funded; the US and Switzerland are notable exceptions. ASTM does no testing. Standards and standards development are competitive. Many standards organizations use acronyms when marketing their products to broaden their appeal, for example ANSI (rather than American National Standards Institute).
Standards are competitive because in the market place users decide what standard works for them and value and usefulness will prevail.
Do standards build or bar trade? Complying with one Euro Norm rather than complying with a different standard for each country. Standards are often harmonized in free trade agreements. Harmonization of electrical standards promotes easy trade.
Standards makers turn to ANSI for a distinctive difference. This can be an advantage or a disadvantage. ANSI is slow, complicated and laborious. Industry may choose to create industry consensus standards independently.
Guidelines versus Standards. Under the term standard, there is no difference between an industry guideline and a standard. Guidelines are a subset of standards. Terminology must be defined (test methods, guideline, specifications, rating, etc. Choose a standard that you can understand, explain, document, and use.
Be careful, standards are fair use copyrighted and are available by permission; as such they are not to be copied. NADCA-ACR 2006 https://nadca.com/system/
National Voluntary Consensus Standards.
Minimum Standards
Codes- imply prescription model; regulated or mandated in law.
Minimum Requirements versus highly rigorous level.
Example of a bad standard, a sheet of newspaper passes: https://www.cpsc.gov/
Link to purchase standards book:
Z-Man footnote:
In 2003 when ASCR/RIA developed a Body of Knowledge for its Water Loss Specialist (WLS) advanced certification program. Dr. Spivak wrote a definitive chapter overviewing the Standards setting process for the WLS preparatory course manual.
Recap of Spivak/Dunston study:
Study the effect of ozone on post fire organic compounds in a research burn building. Ozone doesn’t oxidize, eliminate the species so it disappears. It changes the species chemistry and produces different chemical species. Measured half-life of ozone as 2-4 hours.
Steve’s closing comment: working on standards doesn’t need to be boring
IAQradio Episode 517 blog
Only Science Can See Redux, taking science CIRIously.
Cleaning Industry Research Institute started in 2005. (Ciriscience.org) Steve Spivak, PhD is the program manager and research overseer. CIRI is a 501 C3 organization. CIRI is all about scientific evaluation, testing, surface contamination, surface hygiene, restoration. CIRI does both public and private research.
Dr. Spivak’s educational background is in textile and fire engineering. Jim Harris, Sr is Chairman of CIRI (and founder of Janitronics, Albany, NY). John Downey as its new executive director plans to publish a quarterly peer-review journal and sponsor a cleaning science symposium in 2019.
Z-Man Note:
Downey is the founder of Cleanfax magazine and former editor and publisher of the IICRC Journal and facilitator of the Institutes’ first 2 Technical Conferences.
“Only science can see. For the Cleaning Industry Research Institute (CIRI) it is just that simple.
CIRI’s strong belief in this credo represents a major shift in how the cleaning industry views the future. It also emphasizes the need for high performance cleaning for health, hygiene and appearance.
Evidence shows that cleaning service personnel – no matter how well trained – cannot determine a surface’s cleanliness simply by visually inspecting it. Only science-based cleaning standards can make that determination and CIRI hopes to lead the way in establishing those standards. The Institute is laying the groundwork for developing the basic science for measuring and establishing methods for quantifying clean. A task force has been appointed to assist in these endeavors.”
Nuggets mined from today’s episode:
What role if any are new discoveries and knowledge about the microbiome having on cleaning methods currently?
Microbiome, is a new word for a number of people. Microbiome is the microorganisms in a particular environment (including the body or a part of the body). CIRI works with microbiologists. Molecular biology is providing new insights and understanding. Immune assays. Hospital acquired infections. Antimicrobial resistance. Superbugs and pathogens learning from human systems to protect itself. Learning from microbiome for ideas and inspiration.
What are the big takeaways from the CIRI cleaning study in schools?
For the cleaning study in schools, CIRI turned to Gene Cole, PhD and Richard Shaughnessy, PhD. ATP is the marker for surface contamination and cleanliness. Eyeball checking is insufficient and ineffective. According to Steve, the ATP Standard needs to be widely adopted! CIRI is working with and through the ISSA to increase awareness and acceptance of the study.
Colormetric swab sampling is an additional screening technique used to detect glucose/lactose or protein for use in determining cleanliness and sanitation of surfaces.
Takeaways from the CIRI ATP research study are two industry cleaning standards: one for schools K-12 and the other for commercial buildings:
CIRI is working to promote a change and increased focus for cleaning and restoration. To replace unsubstantiated marketing claims.
CIRI relies upon the expertise and research of Dr Greg Whitely, PhD, on the subject of removal of biofilms in hospital ICUs and other areas,
CIRI isn’t standards driven. In the absence of standards being done by others, CIRI may fill voids.
Spivak recommends that buyers challenge potential vendors with the question “where’s the science?
Prescriptive standards have greater legal liability for the organization writing them.
Steve Spivak/Nelson Dunston ozone study. https://www.researchgate.net/
The University of MD’s Fire Engineering Studies Department has two purpose-built Butler buildings used for research. Controlled burning research (on burning characteristics, fire suppression, etc.) is conducted in the buildings. Scientific Research is costly, the cost to fund a grad student for 1 year is $25K-$45K.
Remarkably, Steve Spivak was able to conduct the Spivak/Dunston study with no external funding. He borrowed the sophisticated measuring and monitoring equipment that was needed along with donation of extensive laboratory analysis. [Air Quality Sciences, now known as UL Environment, graciously performed the lab analysis.]
VOCs were measured following burning, during ozonation and post ozonation. Study findings were: “A trend appeared in the reduction in concentration of aromatic hydrocarbons and an increased presence of aldehydes following ozonation. The results indicate a change in both concentration and species of VOCs due to ozonation”
You may be aware of the growth of the use of “hydroxyl radicals” for odor removal, with your experience and contacts could you duplicate the Spivak/Dunston ozone study using hydroxyl radicals?
A similar study could be done to determine the effect of hydroxyl radicals on fire related smoke odor. Research is needed on hydroxyl radicals/hydroxyl generators and the next silver bullets. Without seeing research, Steve wouldn’t comment on the equipment manufacturer’s recommendation of using hydroxyl generators in occupied areas.
CIRI has the science.
Presenters at CIRI events must submit their data for peer review in advance.
Junk science?
According to Steve Spivak and John Downey, the difference between “junk science” and real science is anonymous peer review by subject matter experts who may hold differing opinion. This prevents uncomfortable facts from being buried.
Global Watchdog
Pete Consigli is excited about what CIRI is doing, the technical journal and technical conference. Pete, queried Spivak and Downey about Post Remediation Verification of sewer backups and catastrophic flooding? CIRI looks to Dr. Gene Cole, PhD for answers on catastrophic flooding. Pete’s questions will be answered in the first issue of CIRI Quarterly Journal will be answered in an article by Dr. Gene Cole, PhD. In a recent conversation Gene Cole warned Downey and Spivak about abundant fecal contamination from piggeries and poultry farms in the flood zones. Pete added that Gene gained hands-on experience in remediation of catastrophic flooding by working with Past RIA President Frank Headen, CR, WLS, CMH (First Restoration Services of Charlotte North Carolina) and other well-known restorers.
Downey: CIRI has three membership classifications: trade associations, instructors/trainers and scientists/researchers. Initially, the Journal will be available digitally. Open circulation initially will eventually be closed.
Spivak: Science will keep unscrupulous manufactures honest. Puffery will be replaced by testing. Thanked IAQradio hosts Joe Hughes and Cliff Zlotnik for their brilliant commitment to IAQradio.
Z-Man signing off
Trivia Question:
What occurred on today’s date 48 years ago that changed sports history?
Trivia Answer:
1970- NFL Monday Night football made its debut on ABC-TV. The game was between the NY Jets and the Cleveland Browns.
Trivia Prize Winner:
Doug Kohnen, EraTech Environmental Dayton, Ohio
