
Martin K. Schwan
Project Manager, Industrial Hygienist, ICC Certified Building Plans Examiner
EHS-ALASKA INC. (EHS-Alaska) is an employee owned consulting firm that specializes in hazardous
building materials inspection, sampling, design, and management services, as well as comprehensive
health and safety services throughout Alaska since 1986. EHS-Alaska provides third party plan review
in the Municipality of Anchorage, and is under contract to provide Plan Review Services to the State of
Alaska, Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire and Life Safety, contract number C140556.
EHS-Alaska has completed more than 4,000 hazardous materials identification, design, and construction
oversight projects within the State of Alaska. EHS-Alaska holds Term Contracts for Hazardous Materials
Consulting with the Municipality of Anchorage, and the Anchorage School District. EHS-Alaska is a
member of the Term Consultant Pool for the University of Alaska Anchorage, and the University of Alaska
Fairbanks. EHS-Alaska is a Contract Holder for the State of Alaska Southcoast Design & Engineering
Environmental Term Contract and currently serve as the Hazardous Materials sub consultant on numerous
other Term and IDIQ type contracts throughout the State of Alaska.
Martin Schwan joined EHS-Alaska in 2011 after more than a decade as a Municipality of Anchorage (MOA) Plans Examiner and AFD Fire Inspector/Fire Investigator. Mr. Schwan maintains his certification as an ICC Certified Plans Examiner. Mr. Schwan is past President and current board member of the Alaska Central Chapter of the International Code Council, and has served on the IBC Non-Structural Code Review Committee and the IFC review committee since 2000. Mr. Schwan is currently on the IBC and IFC Code adoption committee for the Municipality of Anchorage. Mr. Schwan provides clients with Project Management in the areas of Code Consulting, Industrial Hygiene, and Hazardous Building Materials.
Mr. Schwan is a member of the Indoor Air Quality Association and serves on the annual conference technical committee, and is the IAQA government affairs ombudsmen to the State of Alaska. Mr. Schwan co-presented a pre-conference 8-hour work shop on mold assessments and presented Uniquely Alaskan: Indoor Air Quality Challenges in the Last Frontier during the January 2018 IAQA conference in Chicago. Other professional society’s memberships include or have included ASTM, BOMA, ACGIH, and ASSE. Mr. Schwan’s is currently on the ASTM D37.06 committee.
Experience
2010-Present
Martin Schwan is part owner of EHS-Alaska Inc., an employee owned consulting firm specializing in hazardous building materials inspection, sampling, design, and management services. As a Project Manager, Mr. Schwan has overseen 260 projects to include Hazardous Building Materials Surveys, Indoor Air Quality Assessments and Investigations, Mold Assessments and Investigations, Building Code Consulting Services, and Plan Review.
2004 - 2010
Martin Schwan was a Fire Inspector/Fire Investigator/Acting Fire Marshal for the Anchorage Fire Department. Responsibilities include performing fire inspections of buildings within the Municipality of Anchorage Fire Service Area, Fire Investigations, overseeing the Division of Fire Prevention day-to-day activities and Plan Reviewers, Fire Inspectors and Fire Investigators.
2005
Adjunct Professor University of Alaska Anchorage – Hazardous Materials
1999 - 2004
Martin Schwan was a Plan Review Engineer at the Municipality of Anchorage, Building Safety Division performing residential and commercial plan review.
Education
B.A., Chemistry, Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota
Graduate Studies, Chemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana
Certifications
International Code Council, Certified Building Plans Examiner #5060689
EPA Asbestos Abatement Certificate of Fitness #20110842
EPA Lead Inspector #AK-I-126778-1
EPA/AHERA Building Inspector #TBI4-118-11636
EPA Lead Risk Assessor #AK-R-126778-1
EPA AHERA Management Planner #TMP4-816-11632
EPA AHERA Project Designer #TPD8-118-11640
Training
2000-2019: Annual training in the International Fire Code and International Building Code various
IBC/IFC Significant Changes
NITON XRF Radiation Safety
OSHA 10hr General Industry Safety & Health
North Slope Training Co-Operative #006-16839
National Fire Academy Fire Investigation
National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program
Project Experience
Industrial Hygienist
Mr. Schwan is currently providing his expertise investigating contributing factors which may have contributed to the death of a child following a fire in the village of Noorvik, Alaska. Project is ongoing
Anchorage Federal Building Post Earthquake Assessment – December 2018
Mr. Schwan conducted a post-earthquake inspection which included assessing the condition of asbestos-containing building materials and determining the extent of water damage which resulted in fungal growth. Mr. Schwan performed air sampling to characterize the fungal ecology and air sampling to
determine whether or not disturbed ACM resulted in airborne asbestos fibers prior to areas being re-occupied.
Daycare Facility – November 2018
Mr. Schwan was contracted by an insurance company to investigate the damage caused by of a water release event. As a result of Mr. Schwan’s investigation it was determined that the extent of the fungal growth was not a result of the current water release but rather a long-term chronic water intrusion problem.
Code Consulting Anchorage School District Anchorage, Alaska
Under the EHS-Alaska Term Contract with the Anchorage School District, Mr. Schwan has responded to requests to provide code consulting services to the Anchorage School District in the areas of fire lane requirements, exiting, de-commissioning of kitchen fire suppression system, as well as assistance in resolving fire inspection comments. Mr. Schwan’s working relationship with the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Municipality of Anchorage’s Fire Prevention Division has resulted in Memorandums of Agreement in regarding sprinkler requirements within district buildings, ADA parking requirements, obtaining a waiver for use of a commercial building to provide classes to at risk youth. Mr. Schwan has also provide code studies for the Anchorage school district on buildings under consideration for school purposes.
Code Consulting Local Laboratory Anchorage, Alaska
Mr. Schwan provided code consulting and certification for a laboratory to set up cannabis extraction services in Anchorage, Alaska. Services included the review of the architectural and mechanical drawings for conformance to the building and fire codes for the safe storage, handling, and disposal of hazardous chemicals. EHS-Alaska provided a certification attesting to the conditions of Marijuana Manufacturing Facility. The certification process included on site visits to verify mechanical system operations.
Code Consulting Fire Code Homer, Alaska
Mr. Schwan provided research and professional guidance during a renovation of a commercial establishment. The subject of the inquiry was whether a stairwell located on the outside of a building would require the installation of a sprinkler system. Mr. Schwan worked directly with the State Fire Marshal’s Office to resolve fire code plan review comments.
Code Consulting Law Office Anchorage, Alaska
Mr. Schwan provided code consulting services to establish whether or not building elements were in compliance with the code under which they were constructed. Mr. Schwan researched past codes adopted by the authority having jurisdiction, rendered an interpretation and provided supporting documentation.
Fire Investigation Anchorage Fire Department
Mr. Schwan investigated the origin and cause of the fire on East Tudor Road which resulted in the death of a male. Fire was determined to have been set to cover up a homicide, which remains unsolved.
Fire Investigation Anchorage Fire Department
Mr. Schwan assisted with the investigation of the fire on Bern Street which resulted in the death of two persons. Fire was determined to have been unintentionally set.
