The following information is provided to assist indoor environmental consultants and child care center/educational facility operators/owners in acquiring a Safe Building Interior Certification, as required under the Standards for Indoor Environment Certification and for Licensure of Indoor Environmental Consultants (N.J.A.C. 8:50).
Child care centers and educational facilities must obtain an approval letter from the Department of Health (NJDOH) if the facility meets any of the following criteria:
An IEHA is an evaluation conducted by a NJDOH-licensed Indoor Environmental Consultant to assess conditions inside a building which may impact the health of its occupants. The assessment must evaluate the whole indoor environment, not just indoor air. The IEHA includes an evaluation of the historical uses and operations in the building as well as current activities which may impact the indoor environment. Additionally, child care centers or educational facilities that are co-located in a building or other structure that contains a dry cleaner, hair salon or nail salon MUST obtain indoor air sampling results to demonstrate that there is no impact to the child care center or educational facility.
A Safe Building Interior Certification (SBIC) is issued by the NJDOH for a child care center or educational facility when all the requirements to acquire a SBIC have been satisfied.
Only child care centers or educational facilities that fall into any of the categories indicated above need to have an IEHA done. Child care operators/owners who are not sure if an IEHA will be required, should contact their DCF inspector, who will determine if an IEHA and SBIC is required.
Child Care Center IEHA Requirements
The IEHA must be completed by a NJ DOH-licensed Indoor Environmental Consultant and be submitted through the NJ DOH Portal. This submission must include any supporting documentation, reports, floorplans, sample results, maps, etc. necessary to provide a complete environmental history of the property and nearby sites of concern.
In addition to the above items, a copy of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) clearance letter (such as a Remedial Action Outcome letter) and recent radon test results, must also be included with the submission.
Educational Facility IEHA Requirements
Currently, the NJ DOH portal does not include IEHA submissions for Educational Facilities. Therefore, forms A through H, below are required to be completed by a NJ DOH-licensed Indoor Environmental Consultant and submitted as part of the IEHA. IEHA forms and any supporting data must be submitted to the DOH electronically. In addition to e-mail, IEHAs can also be placed on a compact disc or USB stick and mailed to the following address:
NJ Department of Health
Consumer, Environmental, and Occupational Health Service
Environmental and Occupational Health Assessment Program
P.O. Box 369
Trenton, NJ 08625-0369
If the IEHA packet will be e-mailed, a certified check, money order (made payable to "NJ Department of Health") or e-payment in the amount of $1,500 must be submitted. When mailing the check, it must be attached to a hardcopy of “Form A: Submission Information” (CEHS-1).
Sampling is not required but may be necessary as part of the IEHA. Sampling should be performed if there is a concern that contaminants identified during the IEHA may be impacting the facility’s indoor environment. Sampling must be based upon information obtained during the IEHA. Sampling may include wipe samples, dust samples, bulk samples or air samples. The environmental consultant will recommend the appropriate samples to be collected in order to assess the conditions in the building or complex.
Once the IEHA is complete and the consultant certifies that it meets all the regulatory requirements, it must be submitted (along with the fee and any other required information) to the NJDOH for review. Following the review, NJDOH will conduct an inspection of your center and provide documentation that the facility has been approved.
If the DCF has determined that your center needs to have NJDOH approval to renew your license, a fee to obtain a Safe Building Interior Certification will be required. The initial fee and the fee for new operators who take over a center is $1500, but the renewal submission fee varies.
When a center is required to renew, a fee of $450 will be due. However, if the DOH determines that additional environmental testing is necessary for the child care center, the center will be required to pay the balance of the full $1500 fee before a Safe Building Interior Certification can be issued. You do not have to contact the DOH prior submitting the $450 fee and CEHS-15 form.
For additional information on how to submit an e-payment, click the Submit Payment button found above under the navigation bar on the left.
The DCF will determine if your center needs to have NJDOH evaluate your center when renewing your license. Generally, if your center was required to have a NJDOH approval previously, NJDOH will most likely need to conduct an environmental review of your center again to determine if conditions have changed.
Renewals
Most centers will not need to conduct a full IEHA at the time of renewal. Only areas that were of concern initially, or where conditions have changed, will need to be evaluated. When renewing your license, the DCF will determine if your center must obtain a Safe Building Interior Certification from the DOH. If the DCF has determined that your center requires an NJDOH review, please go to the NJDOH Indoor Environmental portal and register. After you have registered and set up your account you will be able to submit your application.
Taking over an existing center
A fee in the amount of $1500 is required. If the DCF has determined that your center requires an NJDOH review, please go to the NJDOH Indoor Environmental portal and register. After you have registered and set up your account you will be able to submit your application.
If you need help to register for NJDOH Indoor Environmental portal, please visit our Portal help page.
Contact NJDOH:
Phone: 609-826-4950
Fax: 609-826-4981
email
