Indoor Air Quality
General Information
- Indoor air quality (IAQ) refers to the quality of air in non-industrial workplaces, such as office buildings, governmental institutions, libraries, malls and schools.
- IAQ can be a problem when any of the following occur:
- There is inadequate fresh air ventilation for the building.
- Painting or other remodeling is performed nearby or in the building.
- There is a furnace malfunction.
- Outdoor pollutants enter the building through improper location of fresh air intakes.
- Water leaks or condensation result in mold or other microorganisms forming either inside the building or in the heating and ventilation system.
What to Expect From DOSH
- Although the Division of Occupational Health (DOSH) receives many
inquiries from employees and employers about the air quality in non-industrial
buildings, the only DOSH requirements associated with IAQ are:
- Prohibition of smoking in offices, found in the Safety and Health Core Rules, WAC 296-800-240.
- Protection from exposures to specific chemicals at levels typically seen in an industrial setting, found in Respiratory Hazards, WAC 296-841.
- In most cases, DOSH will not conduct an onsite investigation related
to IAQ, because:
- Experience in indoor air monitoring has shown that concentrations of chemicals in non-industrial settings rarely exceed current DOSH permissible exposure limits.
- Mold and mold spores are everywhere. Mold growth can present a health concern, but DOSH has no specific requirements about levels of mold or mold spore contamination.
- In some cases, DOSH may conduct an onsite investigation.
- If employees have ongoing or physician-diagnosed symptoms consistent with IAQ problems
- If employees suffer heat stress, or heat stress is a possibility
- If evidence exists of employee exposure to conditions such as:
- A known chemical.
- Gross mold contamination.
- Other exposure to disease-causing microorganism.
- DOSH responds to employer and employee concerns in different ways. The following table, DOSH Response to IAQ Concerns, shows what services DOSH provides regarding IAQ:
DOSH Response
to IAQ Concerns |
|
| If DOSH receives: | Then DOSH provides these services: |
| An employer concern |
|
| An employee concern |
NOTE: Complaint forms can be found at http://www.lni.wa.gov/forms/wordforms/F418-052-000.doc
|
Suggestions for Specific IAQ Concerns
Asbestos
If you have IAQ concerns about asbestos, the following information might be helpful:
Asbestos
is a carcinogen and employees can be exposed if asbestos
is disturbed, for example while removing sheet vinyl and
flooring tiles.
“Popcorn” ceilings,
insulation, pipes, heaters, and other old building materials
may contain asbestos.
Before
beginning your construction or remodeling project, you are
required to determine if materials contain asbestos.
Also see:
Construction or remodeling in this document
Asbestos, Tremolite, Anthophyllite, and Actinolite, WAC 296-62, Part I-1
- Carbon
monoxide/exhaust
If you have IAQ concerns about carbon monoxide or auto exhaust, the following information might be helpful:
IAQ problems can result from carbon monoxide or irritants such oxides of nitrogen from internal combustion engine exhaust. The following are some examples where this can occur:
Temporary
equipment, such as generators, heaters, compressors, or propane fork
lifts. These need to be sited outside or well ventilated.
Misplaced
air intakes, for example next to a loading dock
Auto
exhaust coming in from a loading dock, or an open door or window
- Carpets
If you have IAQ concerns about carpet or carpet adhesive, the following information might be helpful:
While
some new carpets can smell strongly after installation, they
usually don’t emit gases or vapors that exceed permissible
exposure limits (PELs).
Request
material safety data sheets (MSDS) for chemicals or glues
being used to evaluate potential hazards and take action
to decrease or eliminate employee exposures.
Some
sensitive people may be temporarily affected by the odors.
Generally,
the odors diminish within a few days or weeks. If time allows,
the carpet can be installed several days prior to occupancy
and maximum fresh air ventilation can be provided to reduce
odors when employees occupy the building or room.
Low-odor
carpets can also be purchased from some manufacturers.
For
more information related to indoor air quality, carpets,
and carpet adhesives, see the Carpet and Rug Institute web
page at http://www.carpet-rug.com. - Chemical
smells or strong odors
If you have IAQ concerns about chemical smells or strong odors, the following information might be helpful:
Request
material safety data sheets, if available, to determine potential
hazards so you can eliminate or decrease employee exposures.
If
an employer requests assistance from a DOSH consultant,
the consultant may recommend actions to control employee
exposures.
In
some instances, a building owner directly in control of activities
in the building may be required to control exposures to building
occupants.
Employees
can express concerns to:
- Their employer
- The manager of the business generating the contaminants
- The building manager or owner
If
a company or building owner is notified and doesn’t take action,
the local air pollution authority can be contacted and asked to investigate.
If
an employee files a complaint with DOSH, both their business and adjacent
businesses may be inspected. Either or both may be required to control
employee exposures.
If
permissible exposure limits (PELs) are not exceeded, DOSH cannot compel
an employer, adjacent business, building owner, or manager to stop or
change their activities.
Reference: See Table 3 in Chapter 296-841 WAC, Respiratory Hazards, for more information about exposure limits for air contaminants - Construction
or remodeling
If you have IAQ concerns related to construction or remodeling, the following information might be helpful:
Construction
or remodeling inside a building occupied by office workers
can sometimes cause significant amounts of dust, noise, and
chemicals.
Occasionally,
remodeling and construction can expose office workers to
levels of contaminants above their permissible exposure limits
(PELs), found in Respiratory
Hazards, WAC 296-841). In these cases, DOSH may do the
following:
- Investigate if asked by management or if an employee complains.
- Require measures to reduce employee exposures.
Remodeling
should be isolated from office workers with temporary barriers as much
as possible.
In
some cases, exhaust ventilation will be needed in the construction area
to remove dust or chemical vapors.
Remodeling
and construction can be done after hours or on weekends.
Request
material safety data sheets for materials, chemicals, or glues being
used and take necessary actions to decrease or eliminate employee exposure.
Also see:
- Asbestos
- Hot tar roofing
- Paint - Copy
machines
If you have IAQ concerns related to copy machines, the following information might be helpful:
Copy
machines can produce irritating dusts, ozone, or chemicals,
though generally not over the permissible exposure limits
(PELs)
Provide
adequate ventilation.
- Hot
tar roofing
If you have IAQ concerns related to hot tar roofing, the following information might be helpful:
While
hot tar operations can be smelly and even cause adverse symptoms
in some people, the permissible exposure limits (PELs) are
rarely exceeded in offices or workplaces inside the building.
However, because fresh air intakes are often on the roof
or downwind of the tarring operation, the odors and fumes
can be drawn into the building and affect sensitive individuals.
Consider
the following strategies:
- Do tarring operations during non-business hours.
- Temporarily alter the fresh air intakes so they still provide adequate ventilation but draw from somewhere else. For example, temporarily extend the intakes past the hot tar area.
- Request a material safety data sheet from the roofing company and review for hazards, following personal protection recommendations.
If
a company or building owner fails to take action, you can call the local
air pollution authority and ask them to investigate. - Mold
If you have IAQ concerns related to mold, the following information might be helpful:
Tackle
visible mold contamination by having qualified personnel do
one of the following:
- Remove contaminated porous material such as rugs, ceiling tiles, or sheetrock.
- Thoroughly clean contaminated hard surfaces such as ductwork and cooling towers.
- Identify and remove, or block, the pathway between the mold source and building occupants.
- Fix ongoing sources of water, for example roof leaks or leaking pipes, to prevent reoccurrences of contamination.
Make
sure all investigation and cleanup operations are conducted
so that investigators, cleanup personnel, and building occupants
are not exposed to contaminated material. This may require
one or more of the following:
- Using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as: gloves, tyvek, coveralls, or respirators during removal.
- Conducting removal work when the building is not occupied and the HVAC system is shut down.
- Isolating the work from building occupants.
- Providing additional local ventilation for cleanup activities.
Review
of the WISHA Regional Directive (WRD) 10.10 at http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Rules/Policies/PDFs/WRD1010.pdf (242
KB PDF)
Request
an onsite investigation. For example, if there is:
- Extensive water damage to a building.
- Gross mold contamination.
- Reports of adverse health effects associated with mold exposure.
- Paint
If you have IAQ concerns related to paint, the following information might be helpful:
Old
paint may have heavy metals such as lead or cadmium, and during
construction or remodeling employees can be exposed to these
components over the permissible exposure limit (PEL).
You
can get the material safety data sheets (MDSD) or have paint
chips analyzed at a laboratory for metals.
For
specific requirements for lead in construction, go to http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/TrainTools/Trainer/Kits/LeadInConstruction/.
Using
flammable paint may expose employees to chemicals at concentrations
over the PEL. Flammable hazards must also be considered.
Also see:
- Remodeling or construction on a building.
- Hazard Alert - Flammable Solvents. - Schools
If you have IAQ concerns related to schools, the following information might be helpful:
DOSH
requirements apply to all school employees, including teachers.
DOSH
doesn’t have jurisdiction over students.
- Smoking
If you have IAQ concerns related to smokoing, the following information might be helpful:
DOSH
has specific regulations in WAC
296-800-240, Environmental Tobacco Smoke in the Office,
prohibiting smoking in offices or office buildings, except
in specially ventilated rooms.
DOSH
has no regulations that limit or prohibit smoking in other
workplaces. - Temperatures
(hot/cold)
If you have IAQ concerns related to temperatures, the following information might be helpful:
DOSH
does not specifically regulate temperatures in workplaces.
The effects of temperature depend on many variables including
individual susceptibility. A DOSH inspector may investigate
the workplace in the following situations:
- Heat exhaustion or heat stroke has occurred.
- Conditions exist that increase the likelihood or possibility of heat stress, such as:- Sustained temperatures above 90° F.
- Employees wearing personal protective equipment.
- Employees are dehydrated or physically active on the job.
- Employees are exposed to cold temperatures below freezing.
Heat
stress measurements can be taken with special instruments.
Private Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Consulting Companies
The following is a partial list of IAQ consultants in Washington State. They can conduct in-depth investigations into indoor air quality problems. This list is provided for information only and does not imply preference, approval, endorsement, or accreditation by DOSH.
Aegis Commercial Services Inc |
Analytical Chemistry, Inc. |
A.R.C.H. Consulting Group, LLC |
Argus Pacific |
Blue Sky Testing Laboratories |
Clayton Environmental Consultants |
EHS International, Inc. |
Environix, Inc. |
Envirospect Northwest |
Envirotest Research, Inc. |
Healthy Buildings, Inc. |
Healthy Habitats |
Hygienic Home and Office |
Indoor Air & Environmental Svs, Inc. |
Lambert Group |
Martin Rose, CIH |
New Air Technologies, Inc. |
NOW Environmental Services |
Peter Jaramillo, CIH |
RGA Environmental, Inc. |
Other Resources for Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
For information and guidance about IAQ, see the following resources:
- General information:
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Indoor Air Quality home page at http://www.epa.gov/iaq/ . This Web site has several publications and guidelines that can be downloaded or ordered.
- National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) provides IAQ information regarding the work environment at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/indoorenv/ or by calling 1-800-35-NIOSH.
- American Lung Association information about air quality at http://www.lungusa.org. http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=33691.
- Bioaerosols: Assessment and Control. A comprehensive 1999 publication on biologically derived airborne contaminants from the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. To order a copy, call (513)742-6163 or email: comm@acgih.org.
- The WA State Department of Health Web site: http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/IAQ/.
- The Federal OSHA Web site at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/indoorairquality/index.html.
- American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) at http://www.ashrae.org . This organization publishes technical documents and standards on ventilation and indoor air including the ASHRAE standard 62-1989, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality.
- Public schools:
- University of Minnesota website on IAQ in public schools at http://www.dehs.umn.edu/iaq.htm.
- EPA Tools for Schools, available on the EPA IAQ website at http://www.epa.gov/iaq/ .
- School Indoor Air Quality Best Management Practices Manual . Published by Washington Dept. of Health in 1995 and available at http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/IAQ/schooliaqbmp.pdf (1,649 KB PDF / 5 min.).
- Hospitals:
- A Guide to Managing Indoor Air Quality in Healthcare Organizations. Published by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations in 1998. Cost is $45. To order call (630) 792-5800 or Fax 1-800-676-3299 (Order code # EC-505LH).
- For a schedule of short training courses on IAQ, see the following website from the Washington State University-Cooperative Extension Energy Program: http://www.energy.wsu.edu/projects/building/iaq.cfm.
- For answers to specific questions about DOSH and IAQ, contact a DOSH representative by phone at your L& regional office. See L&I Office Locations.
