Featured
Understanding the Hazards of Wildfire Smoke Contamination and How to Restore Your Property
Understanding the Hazards of Wildfire Smoke Contamination and How to Restore Your Property

The 2025 Southern California wildfires left many buildings contaminated by toxic smoke, even those far from burn zones. Readers will learn about the dangers of wildfire smoke, which contains hazardous particles like heavy metals, asbestos, VOCs, and carcinogens, posing serious health risks and causing structural damage. The article explains how smoke affects health, damages property, and outlines the steps needed for professional remediation to restore safety.

Read More →
Changes to Fall Protection Standards in California - What You Need to Know
Changes to Fall Protection Standards in California - What You Need to Know

Discover the latest updates to California's fall protection standards, implemented in 2023, aligning with federal OSHA regulations. Learn how these changes impact construction, maintenance, and confined space rescue standby services. Explore key requirements like the six-foot fall protection trigger, equipment updates for retractable lanyards, and employer responsibilities. SSM offers nationwide rental of a portable fall protection system to enhance workplace safety. Stay compliant, protect workers, and improve workplace safety with expert insights and solutions. Contact us today for more details or a quote!

Read More →
Safety Services Management expands illicit drug-contaminated vehicle cleaning and Testing services to Kentucky
Safety Services Management expands illicit drug-contaminated vehicle cleaning and Testing services to Kentucky

Safety Services Management (SSM), a leading U.S. provider of illicit drug remediation, testing, training, and cleanup consultation, has expanded its vehicle decontamination services to Kentucky. Utilizing the advanced MX908 mass spectrometry technology, SSM can detect trace amounts of hazardous substances, addressing challenges linked to the fentanyl crisis. CEO Jon Schibsted emphasizes the expansion’s importance in enhancing public safety and reducing costs for insurance companies and vehicle owners by restoring contaminated vehicles instead of destroying them.

Read More →
Safety Services Management expands illicit drug-contaminated vehicle cleaning services to Illinois
Safety Services Management expands illicit drug-contaminated vehicle cleaning services to Illinois

Safety Services Management (SSM) is pleased to announce the expansion of its specialized vehicle cleaning services to Illinois. As a leader in fentanyl and drug lab cleanup, SSM offers expert remediation, testing, training, and consultation services for properties and vehicles contaminated by hazardous substances. This expansion will provide critical decontamination services to key cities throughout Illinois, ensuring public safety and environmental protection.

Read More →
Revolutionizing Illicit Drug Vehicle Testing and Cleaning in Los Angeles
Revolutionizing Illicit Drug Vehicle Testing and Cleaning in Los Angeles

Safety Services Management (SSM), based in Los Angeles, is the only U.S. company using the MX908 handheld mass spectrometer for real-time illicit drug testing in vehicles. This advanced technology, typically used by HAZMAT teams and law enforcement, provides same-day results. SSM aims to reduce contamination risks while offering sustainable solutions through their cutting-edge methods and nationwide expansion goals.

Read More →
Safety Services Management Buys New Mobile Technology to Combat Fentanyl Crisis
Safety Services Management Buys New Mobile Technology to Combat Fentanyl Crisis

Safety Services Management has partnered with Canadian Decon Solutions to bring cutting-edge technology to combat fentanyl contamination. With their expertise in safely decontaminating over 1,000 vehicles we are set to enhance safety for our customers and the environment. Stay tuned for more updates! #FentanylCrisis #PublicSafety #EnvironmentalProtection #SSM

Read More →
Pros and Cons of In-House Versus Third-Party Confined Space Rescue Teams
Pros and Cons of In-House Versus Third-Party Confined Space Rescue Teams

When it comes to managing confined space safety, organizations face a critical choice: develop an in-house 'Confined Space Rescue Team' or hire external 'Confined Space Rescue Services.' In-house teams offer familiarity with the site and integrated team dynamics, which can enhance the speed and coordination of emergency responses. However, they require significant investment in training and equipment. On the other hand, third-party services bring specialized skills and reduce organizational liability, offering flexibility without the ongoing costs of maintaining a dedicated team. Despite these benefits, external teams may lack site-specific knowledge, which can impact the efficiency of their interventions.

Read More →
Importance of Fentanyl Awareness & Illicit Drug Awareness Courses for Hotel Staff
Importance of Fentanyl Awareness & Illicit Drug Awareness Courses for Hotel Staff

Hotel staff, from cleaners to security personnel, are pivotal in ensuring the safety and well-being of guests. Illicit drug awareness training is crucial for recognizing drug activity signs, enhancing guest safety, and promoting a secure environment. Through these classes, staff learn to identify drug use indicators and handle drug-related incidents professionally, reducing risks to personnel and property. Additionally, such training reinforces the hotel's commitment to a drug-free environment and compliance with legal regulations, safeguarding both guests and the hotel's reputation. This proactive approach in substance abuse awareness is essential for maintaining a positive guest experience and mitigating potential legal liabilities.

Read More →
California Employers Required to Adopt New Workplace Violence Plans Under Senate Bill 553
California Employers Required to Adopt New Workplace Violence Plans Under Senate Bill 553

Senate Bill 553, which is also known as the California Workplace Violence Prevention Plan, is a legislative bill created to address the rising incidents of violence in the workplace. It requires employers to develop and implement specific strategies and protocols to prevent and respond to workplace violence effectively.

Read More →
The Rising Risk of Illicit Drug Contamination in Recovered Stolen Vehicles
The Rising Risk of Illicit Drug Contamination in Recovered Stolen Vehicles

In the past few years, a growing concern has been arising regarding accidental second-hand exposure to illicit drugs, primarily fentanyl and xyzaline. Historically, auto theft often resulted in parts being sold off, but recently, an increasing number of vehicles are being used by thieves for joyriding or as temporary shelter. This is leading to more cases where these cars are found with dangerous substances left behind like fentanyl, xyzaline, and methamphetamine. This poses a significant risk for the car owners and insurance companies responsible for releasing those vehicles back to property owners.

Read More →
The Silent Victims of the Opioid Crisis: The Urgent Call for Legislation and Training
The Silent Victims of the Opioid Crisis: The Urgent Call for Legislation and Training

We are living in an opioid crisis which has had a devastating impact on the United States. This epidemic has not only effected those struggling with addiction and their loved ones but those tasked with working around this lethal chemical. What is less discussed are the professionals and innocent bystanders who also are being effected by this epidemic. This article aims to shed light on this new and growing hazard.

Read More →
12-year-old Boy Dies After Cleaning Uncle's Drug Paraphernalia
12-year-old Boy Dies After Cleaning Uncle's Drug Paraphernalia

In a somber event from March 2022 in Blackwood, New Jersey, a 12-year-old boy tragically lost his life due to a suspected fentanyl overdose. Troy Nokes, 35 who is the boys uncle is in custody for allegations related to the boy's exposure to fentanyl.

According to the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office and the Gloucester Township Police, Nokes faces charges including aggravated manslaughter. Fentanyl intoxication was identified as the cause by the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office.

Read More →
Fentanyl Awareness Training for Hotel Staff
Fentanyl Awareness Training for Hotel Staff

We are excited to announce the launch of the first and only fentanyl awareness program designed to protect employees working in the hospitality industry from accidental secondhand exposure. Illicit Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50-100 times more potent than morphine and has been responsible for a significant increase in overdose deaths in recent years. 

Our program is designed to educate employees working in environments who may come into contact with fentanyl. 

Read More →
Confined Space | Take care of your employees
Confined Space | Take care of your employees

WHAT IS A CONFINED SPACE?

According to OSHA, a Confined space means a space that: (1) Is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work; (2) Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit (for example, tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, hoppers, vaults, and pits are spaces that may have limited means of entry.); and (3) Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.

Read More →
Atmospheric Hazards within a Confined Space
Atmospheric Hazards within a Confined Space

An incident last November 2021 caused the life of a 35-year-old worker. The worker lost consciousness after descending into a regenerator overflow well at the Benicia refinery to evaluate the condition of the well interior and perform cleaning operations in advance of a welding crew.

Read More →
rainbow-fentanyl-m30_wide-cbb5120512f61d1484a39ac9b0a2bdaff40ddbd5-s1200-c85.jpg
Los Angeles Schools dealing with fatal fentanyl

In the weeks to follow, LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho intends to provide Narcan, a medication that reverses opioid overdoses, to every LAUSD campus. This is a great start to helping those who are actively overdosing. However, this does not stop the truckloads of lethal illegal drugs crossing our southern border.

Read More →
Fentanyl - The Untold Story
Fentanyl - The Untold Story

While deaths of fentanyl users increasingly make the headline news, rarely if ever are there the untold stories of those responsible for decontaminating a property to make it fully safe and habitable.

Read More →
Fentanyl Epidemic in Teens
Fentanyl Epidemic in Teens

Deaths associated with the illicit flow of fentanyl into American culture is often deemed to be an adult problem. In cities, addicts gathered in small clusters—like The Tenderloin district of San Francisco—will jump at any drug that comes their way. In the suburbs, people craving an exciting recreational high are at full risk because they don’t know what’s in a drug that has been purchased. Online dealers are notorious for flooding the market with fentanyl-laced powders and pills. These cases are proliferating in recent years, though too often they fall out of consciousness as an issue that is irrelevant. But what about the kids?

Read More →
Methamphetamine Remediation
Methamphetamine Remediation

Nearly 20 years ago, Joe Mazzuca and his wife Julie founded Meth Lab Cleanup Company with the intent to clean up contaminated properties that were used as labs for manufacturing methamphetamine for the black market. In a conversation last fall with Mazzuca, he estimated that there are 2.5 million clandestine meth lab sites in the U.S.


Read More →
Multiple Parents Arrested for Fentanyl Death's
Multiple Parents Arrested for Fentanyl Death's

Illicit fentanyl deaths continue to make the news almost daily with nation-wide cases involving recreational users and opioid addicts. The fine line between getting high and bottoming out in death is incredibly narrow. Fentanyl’s lethality amounts to two milligrams—small enough to fit on the tip of a sharpened pencil. That makes a contaminated space of a victim’s use or even as a cutting lab a monumental cleaning challenge for specialized crews.

Read More →
Epidemic Within the Pandemic
Epidemic Within the Pandemic

In a November 2021 update, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that more than 100,000 people died from overdoses in a 12-month period ending in April—the biggest increase ever seen in the U.S. The culprit? Fentanyl, which was the factor in 60 percent of the fatal overdoses. That represented a massive 50 percent increase in a single year.

Read More →
Fentanyl - Chemical Weapons Attack
Fentanyl - Chemical Weapons Attack

The word is only slowly getting out in media circles about the dangers of illicit fentanyl trafficking.

In the 2019 The New York Times Magazine story “The China Connection: How a DEA Agent Cracked a Global Fentanyl Ring,” author Alex W. Palmer wrote: “A kilogram of fentanyl, purchased for only a few thousand dollars, can be mixed with heroin and made into a couple million dollars’ worth of pills. By contrast, a kilogram of undiluted heroin nets less than $80,000 in profit.”

Read More →
The Fatal Facts
The Fatal Facts

Most people don’t recognize the dangers. Rock stars battling injuries from fatigue on the road have fallen prey to taking pain-killing drugs laced with fentanyl. Two of the music’s superstars fell into that category: Prince and Tom Petty.

Sports stars also have to be aware. Recently former Boston Bruins’ hockey player Jimmy Hayes died, according to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Massachusetts, “from acute intoxication due to the combined effects of fentanyl and cocaine.” He became addicted to painkillers after suffering a hockey injury.

Read More →
THE UNTOLD STORY: REMEDIATING A TOXIC DRUG DWELLING FOR SAFE REENTRY
THE UNTOLD STORY: REMEDIATING A TOXIC DRUG DWELLING FOR SAFE REENTRY

What people aren’t aware of is the tragic consequences of overdoses don’t end merely with a user’s death. Wherever a person has engaged in illicit fentanyl use, the dwelling may become a hazardous waste site. Even inhaling a speck of the drug can prove deadly.

Read More →
Smoke Damage Micahel Polkabla Smoke Damage Micahel Polkabla

Understanding the Hazards of Wildfire Smoke Contamination and How to Restore Your Property

The 2025 Southern California wildfires left many buildings contaminated by toxic smoke, even those far from burn zones. Readers will learn about the dangers of wildfire smoke, which contains hazardous particles like heavy metals, asbestos, VOCs, and carcinogens, posing serious health risks and causing structural damage. The article explains how smoke affects health, damages property, and outlines the steps needed for professional remediation to restore safety.

By Michael A. Polkabla, CIH, REA, BioMax Environmental Inc.

The Southern California wildfires of 2025 have caused widespread devastation. Even buildings that survived the flames are now facing contamination from wildfire smoke, which has traveled far beyond burn zones. Smoke residues pose significant health risks and structural challenges, making it critical to understand the hazards and take steps to restore safety.

What Makes Wildfire Smoke Dangerous?

Wildfire smoke contains toxic particles and gases that vary depending on the materials burned. When man-made structures are involved, the smoke becomes even more hazardous.

  • Heavy metals such as lead and chromium are neurotoxic and released from burned paints and pipes.

  • Asbestos from older buildings poses respiratory risks like mesothelioma.

  • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like benzene and formaldehyde cause respiratory irritation and long-term carcinogenic effects.

  • Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are carcinogens released during the combustion of organic materials.

  • Dioxins and furans are toxic chemicals formed when chlorine-containing materials burn.

These contaminants settle as soot, char, and ash, infiltrating porous materials like wood and fabric while corroding electronics and metals.

Safety Services Management engaged in a panel discussion regarding the hazards linked to wildland fires and outlined measures to protect individuals and restore their properties.

How Wildfire Smoke Affects Health

Smoke exposure can cause immediate and long-term health issues, with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) being particularly dangerous as it penetrates deep into the respiratory system.

  • Respiratory problems include asthma flare-ups, bronchitis, and increased risk of COPD.

  • Cardiovascular issues such as heart attacks, strokes, and arrhythmias are linked to systemic inflammation caused by fine particulates.

  • Neurological effects include cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases from exposure to heavy metals and VOCs.

  • Cancer risks are elevated by chemicals like benzene, formaldehyde, and dioxins.

  • General symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, and headaches are often caused by VOCs and smoke odors.

Smoke particles that settle on surfaces can extend exposure risks long after the fire is extinguished.

How Wildfire Smoke Damages Property

Wildfire smoke causes significant physical and chemical damage to buildings and materials.

  • Corrosion occurs as ash and soot degrade metals, electronics, and painted surfaces.

  • Material damage weakens wood, fabrics, and insulation.

  • Lingering odors from VOCs and microscopic particles persist without targeted remediation.

  • Soil and water contamination from ash introduces heavy metals and organic pollutants to the environment.

Steps to Restore Your Property

Proper remediation involves professional evaluation, advanced testing, and targeted cleanup to ensure safety.

  • Professional assessment should involve Certified Industrial Hygienists (CIHs) to analyze and identify toxins like soot, ash, and char.

  • Advanced testing quantifies contaminants and informs the remediation plan.

  • Targeted cleanup protocols remove residues, neutralize toxins, and eliminate odors to ensure safety.

  • Post-cleanup testing confirms that all contaminants are addressed and the property is safe to occupy.

How Safety Services Management Partners with BioMax to Help

Safety Services Management (SSM) partners with Certified Industrial Hygienists from BioMax Environmental to provide expert wildfire smoke remediation. BioMax collaborates with SSM to conduct detailed assessments and develop customized cleanup plans, while SSM ensures these protocols are effectively implemented to restore properties to safe, livable conditions. Contact SSM today to learn how we can protect your property, health, and peace of mind.

Additional Resources

Research and Academic Resources

Read More