February 2024 Meeting of the Chapter

As consultants, we often are in the field logging soil from a drill rig, collecting samples of soil / groundwater, but are we adequately protecting ourselves from what we’re touching? How can we tell what we’re handling prior to actually collecting our samples? We’ll discuss various subsurface hazards, basic ways we can get an understanding of the potential contaminant (or naturally occurring) hazards of an area, and suggestions for proper PPE that should be used to prevent inhalation, ingestion, and bringing this stuff home from your project.

Sarah Kalika has approximately 22 years of experience as a geologist in the environmental
consulting industry and a Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She has performed primarily environmental geoscience investigations during her career including property development work, site characterization (Phase I & II) transactions, asbestos and lead surveys for renovations and demolitions, abatement oversight, geologic mapping and sampling for the presence of naturally occurring asbestos, asbestos dust mitigation plan preparation, area air monitoring for asbestos, construction storm water pollution prevention plan preparations and inspections, health and safety plan preparation, and corporate health and safety program management (IIPP, staff safety training, accident investigations). She has successfully managed the investigation, regulatory agency interaction, documentation, and cleanup of many complex, high profile, and confidential development projects, including schools, agricultural redevelopment, commercial and residential properties, highways, and rail corridors.

As a California Certified Asbestos Consultant and Professional Geologist, Ms. Kalika has a unique combination of expertise with applying regulations originally written for asbestos in building materials to construction projects that impact asbestos occurring naturally within rock and soil. Ms. Kalika is skilled in navigating the often-complicated assortment of regulations that apply to asbestos and asbestiform minerals and provides awareness training sessions for workers who will interact with asbestos-containing soil or rock on jobsites.

As a member of the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists, she has served as chair of several operational committees including Meetings Advisory and Governance, as well as co-founded the Naturally Occurring Asbestos Technical Working Group and IAEG NOA Commission, co-chaired the 2018 Annual Meeting in San Francisco, and is co-chairing the 2025 meeting in Chicago. Sarah is the current AEG Association President.