NORRISTOWN — The Department of Environmental Protection ordered Christopher Ford, of Abington Township, Montgomery County, to surrender his state radon testing certification and pay $58,875 in civil penalties for numerous violations of the Radon Certification Act and Radiation Protection Act.
“Mr. Ford misrepresented the type of state certification held by his firm, and allowed an uncertified employee to perform radon system work,” DEP Southeast Regional Director Joseph A. Feola said. “Our inspectors documented 82 violations of radon system installation standards, along with eight violations of testing and quality assurance regulations.”
DEP noted the violations during June 2010 inspections of 15 radon systems installed by Ford’s firm, Environmental Concepts Technology, and cited him for not discharging radon above roof lines; not sealing floor and wall joints; failing to conduct post-mitigation testing; and not attaching system documentation to radon system units.
During a July 15, 2010, inspection of the contractor’s radon testing and mitigation programs, DEP inspectors found that Ford had failed to track his and his employee’s exposure to radon, a key component of his own quality assurance plan. He also failed to submit, analyze and monitor field samples required to ensure accurate testing and analysis, or perform duplicate testing in 2008, 2009 and 2010, which is required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Following a Feb. 18 meeting, Mr. Ford was to submit to DEP a list of all radon systems he installed between Oct. 27, 2008, and Oct. 27, 2010, along with business tax returns for that same period. To date, the department has not received this information.
Ford’s mitigation certification expired Oct. 27, 2010, and will not be renewed. DEP is seeking surrender of his testing certificate, which is due to expire Dec. 14, 2011.
For more information, visit www.depweb.state.pa.us or call 484-250-5900.