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Safety

Poor Indoor Air Quality – Preventive Measures
Copyright © All rights reserved
By Randy Oglesby
Ken Chapman & Associates, Inc.

Indoor air quality should be a concern for every building owner.  Failure to maintain heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems properly will eventually produce conditions leading to health problems attributable to indoor air quality.  Poor ventilation will most likely lead to mold or mildew that can create dangerous bacteria in the air.

The problem is real and just because OSHA doesn’t have a standard specifically addressing indoor air quality doesn’t mean you shouldn’t worry about it.  Environmental Protection Agency studies have shown that any building, old or new, can develop problems with indoor air quality if steps aren’t taken to prevent it.

Invisible Dangers
Poor air quality can cause some serious health concerns.  Effects ranging from minor symptoms such as a stuffy nose, sneezing, dry cough, sore throat, or fatigue to potentially fatal diseases such as Legionnaire’s Disease. 

Biological agents are present almost everywhere in the air.  They include bacteria, viruses, fungi, pollen, molds, animal scales from hair, feathers or skin, or even dust mites and other insects.  These biological agents can travel through the air and are usually inhaled either directly or when they attach themselves to particles of dust before entering the respiratory system.

Office buildings are especially susceptible to microorganisms like fungi and bacteria.  They find nourishment in air circulation systems, especially poorly maintained air circulation systems that have a tendency to produce excess moisture.

Because they are often invisible, biological agents can’t be detected by simply looking at the air.  Excessive complaints about the air or an increase in reports of symptoms associated with poor indoor air quality may be the only indication of a problem.  Inspecting your ductwork might not reveal any clues either.  Moisture can buildup in walls, on the roof, or even in the carpet.

Prevention
Many air quality problems can be prevented if building or safety supervisors take some simple steps to make sure their ventilation systems function properly.  This is an area that is very easily ignored.  Every season a check should be performed.

Safety supervisors should investigate and follow the recommendations on maintenance from the manufacturer of their particular HVAC system.  Also, each season, when switching from heating and cooling, it is important to ensure the system is functioning properly by checking to make sure the vents are open or closed. Every building and every HVAC system needs attention or problems could easily occur.

Following recommended HVAC maintenance schedules and procedures is a good first step.  Adhering to the standards on proper ventilation from the American Society for Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) is also crucial.  This organization sets standards for proper ventilation, incorporating particular characteristics such as the type of building and square footage.  These voluntary standards for minimum ventilation rates and indoor air quality can apply to all types of facilities and specifies rates at which outdoor air must be supplied to each room depending upon the activities that normally occur in that room.

Planning
Maintaining a building’s HVAC system and ensuring proper ventilation are just the first steps in what should be in an overall plan to ensure good indoor air quality.  However, you will need to do more to avoid a poor air quality epidemic. 

In developing an IAQ action plan first assess where your indoor air quality stands.  Review existing records and perform a “walk through” to determine and document information on HVAC practices and possible pollutant sources.  Create an “IAQ Profile”.  This profile will be the basis of your action plan.

Along with a plan for maintaining your HVAC system take a look at other potential sources of air contamination including:

• Remodeling and renovation.  Planning remodeling and renovation activities with indoor air quality in mind will help reduce dust, odors, and microorganisms.  Isolating these work areas can help control the emission of potentially hazardous substances in air.
  
• Painting.  Painting interior spaces can produce irritating and harmful vapors.  Ventilation and working during periods of low occupancy are just two methods of controlling this exposure.
  
• Pest control.  Following label instruction on the use of pesticides will help eliminate many of the storage, application, and handling problems leading to poor indoor air quality.
  
• Shipping and receiving.  Carbon monoxide from vehicle exhaust entering a facility is a common indoor air pollutant.  Adjusting the air pressure in these areas is one way of minimizing the effects of vehicle exhaust.
  
• Smoking.  Prohibiting smoking or restricting smoking to separately ventilated areas is the best way to protect building occupants from the irritating and dangerous effects of environmental tobacco smoke.

A quality action plan is the best place to begin taking control of your indoor air quality.  It can help avoid future air quality problems.

Randy Oglesby is manager of environmental and health and safety services at Ken Chapman and Associates in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  He can be reached via email at roglesby@leaderscode.com or by phone 205.366.0265.

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