Indoor Air Quality
Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) is now recognized as a major problem and poses a serious threat to public health. Recent studies find that most people spend up to 90% of their time indoors and can be exposed to a wide variety of contaminants such as radon, asbestos, volatile organic chemicals, combustion by-products, tobacco smoke, biological contaminants, microorganisms, etc. Moreover, the concentration levels of these contaminants can be higher inside buildings (indoor) than outdoor (ambient) air.
According to the American Conference of Governmental of Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) 1999 publication, Bioaerosols: Assessment and Control,
- “Air sampling is needed to establish worker inhalation exposure in terms of the amount or type of biological material (12.1.4.2)”.
- “In non-problem environments, the concentration of fungi in indoor air typically is similar to or lower than the concentrations seen outdoor, except when outdoor air concentrations are near zero (e.g., during periods of snow cover) (19.5.3.1).”
To help our clients (industry, municipalities, school districts and residential homeowners) determine if they have an Indoor Air Quality problems OSEA can provide the following services:
- Microbiological (Mold, Fungi, & Bacteria) sampling.
- Risk Assessments
- Complaint Investigations
- Health effects Evaluations
- Energy Conservation Evaluations
- Ventilation Studies
- Space Configuration Reviews
- Building Material Reviews
- Expert Witness Testimony
- Intended Occupancy and Building Factor Reviews
Today’s workplaces are generally considered safe and healthful working environments. However, with the desire to conserve energy, construction practices responded with tighter buildings, decreased air makeup and a whole new set of developing problems. As fresh air flow is reduced, the natural removal of contaminants from the air also diminishes, leading to sick building syndrome, a condition characterized by a build up of contaminants in indoor air.
When contaminants emanate from tobacco smoke, photocopy machines, new furniture, carpeting and battery chargers or microbial growth in ventilation systems, etc., reaches unhealthy levels, serious problems can result. When occupants of buildings begin to complain of persistent or reoccurring headaches, irritation of the upper respiratory tract, eye irritation, and/or general discomfort, a study of the quality of the air in the building is recommended. Potential indoor air problems and their sources can be identified through the use of questionnaires, evaluations, chemical testing and ventilation system inspections. IAQ problems based on NIOSH studies primarily involve:
- Inadequate Ventilation: 52%
- Contamination from Inside Building: 16%
- Contamination from Outside Building: 10%
- Microbial Contamination: 5%
- Contamination of Building Fabric: 4%
- Unknown Sources: 13%
OSEA offers qualified professionals to complete an effective, economical IAQ investigation with recommendations that make sense and work. NIOSH, ASHRAE, AIHA and appropriate building code guidelines are utilized.
