EAS Experts
Building Teams for Complex Asbestos Abatement

Reed Quillen, owner and CEO of EAS Experts, learned early that asbestos abatement was not a business where technical knowledge alone determined success. Inside airtight containment areas maintained under negative air pressure, workers operate in protective suits surrounded by machinery, moisture and restricted communication. In those conditions, preparation and familiarity between team members can be just as important as technical expertise.

Workers inside an asbestos containment area deal with conditions that demand close coordination. Protective equipment limits movement, masks make conversation difficult and heavy machinery creates constant noise. The environment can become hot, humid and physically demanding, while every decision has to follow strict procedures. It is this reality that has shaped the way Quillen built EAS Experts.

The company places particular emphasis on developing teams that can operate effectively together under challenging conditions. Rather than simply hiring certified workers and assigning them to projects, EAS Experts focuses on bringing together people who work well alongside one another and understand how their teammates operate.

That approach carries through to hiring, training and project execution. EAS Experts invests in training employees together and creating opportunities for team-building, helping workers develop familiarity before entering environments where normal communication can become difficult. The investment in team development is closely tied to how work gets done, particularly when workers must coordinate inside containment with limited opportunities for verbal communication.

“You have to have a team that’s really tight knit,” says Quillen. “You need something where guys can really partner together well and work well together.”

Team familiarity is one part of a broader philosophy built around specialization. EAS Experts focuses exclusively on asbestos and lead abatement, allowing it to develop specialized capabilities across inspections, consulting, project design, abatement and air clearance.

The company supports construction companies, restoration providers and government organizations that need asbestos-related services during renovation, repair and recovery projects. Some projects require separate providers for inspection, abatement and air clearance. EAS Experts manages these stages internally, bringing the process together as one coordinated approach to asbestos project management, with responsibility extending from initial evaluation through final air clearance.

Managing the process internally reflects a focused approach to a niche that requires specialized knowledge and experience. Many companies operating in the space also handle general construction or restoration work. EAS Experts instead concentrates on asbestos and lead abatement and builds its capabilities around the certifications, knowledge and field experience required for that work.

Developing Skills for Complex Field Work

The company’s focus on specialization applies to how it develops employees. Asbestos abatement involves strict procedures, but understanding regulations is only one part of knowing how to perform the work correctly in the field.

Quillen’s training philosophy stems partly from his own experience entering the industry. Early courses gave him knowledge of regulations and requirements but did not fully prepare him for the practical realities of collecting samples, documenting findings and making decisions on an actual site.

That experience shaped EAS Experts’ approach to training, which combines classroom instruction with direct field exposure so professionals can better understand what they may encounter on actual projects.

The company operates a certified training facility that serves its own workforce as well as professionals from other companies. Its courses cover areas including inspections, project design, supervision, air monitoring, operations and management and AHERA management planning.

Trainees are introduced to practical aspects of the work, including identifying potential asbestos-containing materials, understanding sampling techniques and developing reporting skills. Quillen also works with inspectors in the field and continues to provide guidance as they gain experience.

The importance of practical experience becomes clear during inspections. Materials can appear identical while producing completely different results during testing. Small differences that may seem insignificant can determine whether asbestos is present.

Quillen uses one inspection experience as an example. While reviewing a home with inspectors, he noticed subtle differences between two sections of drywall that otherwise appeared identical, including the same paint color. The distinction was easy to overlook, but slight differences in texture suggested the materials were not the same.

Testing later showed that samples from one section contained asbestos while those from the other did not.

The situation became a training example for EAS Experts because it demonstrated why inspection cannot rely solely on surface appearance or minimum sampling requirements. Detailed evaluations require experience and attention to differences that can easily be overlooked. When additional investigation is necessary, the company prioritizes obtaining reliable results rather than allowing minimum requirements, convenience or cost considerations to determine the scope of the evaluation.

Speed is equally important when an inspection follows an emergency. Storm damage, unexpected discoveries during construction or urgent repairs can leave clients and restoration industry contractors waiting for sampling before work can safely continue. EAS Experts ensures it is on-site within 24 hours of an emergency call and, more often, arrives within a couple of hours to perform the necessary sampling. The responsiveness helps minimize delays for clients and contractors who might otherwise have to slow down or halt work while waiting for results.

EAS Experts also places emphasis on laboratory testing. It works with accredited laboratories for sample analysis and is working toward its own in-house laboratory certification. The company is willing to invest in higher-quality testing when necessary because confidence in the results takes precedence over reducing short-term project costs. Accurate results are critical before construction, demolition or restoration work begins.

The same field discipline developed through training and inspection carries into the abatement work EAS Experts performs once hazardous materials have been identified.

Preparation Before the Work Begins

EAS Experts’ attention to detail continues after inspection and into project execution. Before arriving at a job site, it holds project meetings to establish what the team will do, how it will approach the work and how the site will be organized.

The planning process includes details that may not always be required by state or federal regulations but help the team work more efficiently. Employees review procedures, responsibilities and logistics in advance, including where trucks will be parked and where equipment will be positioned.

That preparation becomes crucial once work begins inside containment areas, where masks, machinery and protective equipment can make communication difficult. Establishing a shared understanding before the project starts helps ensure the team remains aligned once workers enter the site.

The approach becomes relevant when EAS Experts works in facilities that cannot completely stop operations. Hospitals are one example where asbestos-related work must happen while patients and staff remain nearby.

One project at an operational hospital demonstrated the challenges involved. Following severe storm damage, repairs required the removal of flooring materials, including nine-by-nine tile and mastic containing asbestos.

The project presented several constraints. Mechanical removal was not an option in certain areas because it could make the material friable and increase the risk of fiber release.

EAS Experts instead carried out the removal manually. Although the process required additional time and physical effort, the team chose the method because it was better suited to the conditions of the project rather than selecting a faster approach that could compromise proper execution.

The hospital also remained operational during the project. Long-term patients could not simply be relocated, meaning EAS Experts had to maintain containment near occupied areas while the work was underway.

The company continuously monitored air conditions inside the containment area and outside the barriers throughout the project to check for potential fiber release and help protect nearby occupied spaces.

For Quillen, projects like this demonstrate why preparation and experience are essential. Abatement work can require teams to make careful decisions while balancing safety requirements, project timelines and the operating conditions of the facility. In those situations, EAS Experts’ approach is guided by what the work requires rather than simply choosing the quickest or least resource-intensive option.

Building Capacity for Rapid Response

The same emphasis on preparation is shaping the company’s next phase of growth.

EAS Experts also handles emergency-service work that can require rapid mobilization. Storm damage, unexpected discoveries during construction or urgent repairs can require the company to prepare quickly and move equipment to a site with little notice.

The company is preparing for more of these situations by expanding its equipment capacity and creating additional warehouse space. It is adding trucks, trailers and equipment so its teams can respond when customers require immediate assistance.

Expansion plans also include geographic growth. EAS Experts is moving into Missouri while continuing to increase its workforce. This year, the company has doubled the number of inspectors, supervisors and workers on its team.

The company has also added an in-house accredited laboratory to help accelerate sample testing and deliver results to clients more quickly. Bringing laboratory capabilities into the business gives EAS Experts greater control over the testing process and supports faster turnaround when projects are waiting on results.

EAS Experts is now building for a broader role. Additional equipment, warehouse capacity and a growing presence in new markets will allow the company to respond to a wider range of projects, including situations where time and mobilization can be critical.

For Quillen, growth is not simply about taking on more work. It is about building the capacity to be ready when the next complex project or unexpected emergency arises. As EAS Experts expands its reach, that readiness will shape its next chapter and has helped earn the company recognition as the Top Asbestos Abatement Services 2026.