Indoor Air Quality Complaints in the Office
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that the quality of the air inside offices, schools and other workplaces is important not only for workers' comfort, but also for their health.
OSHA shares that poor indoor air quality (IAQ) has been tied to symptoms like headaches, fatigue, trouble concentrating, and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs. Also, some specific diseases have been linked to specific air contaminants or indoor environments, like asthma with damp indoor environments. The agency warns that some exposures, such as asbestos and radon, do not cause immediate symptoms but can lead to cancer after many years.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that the demand for good indoor air quality in office buildings has emerged into a major issue. EPA also cautions that many office buildings have significant indoor air pollution sources. Some of the sources listed include:
• Furnishings
• Occupant activities
• Housekeeping practices
• Pesticide applications
• Microbial contamination
The agency goes on to suggest that a factor greatly influencing the effect of these sources and the overall quality of indoor air in offices is the ventilation system design, operation and maintenance.
EPA also states that people generally have less control over the indoor environment in the office than they do at home. As a result, there are large numbers of reported health problems associated with office buildings.
It is also true that identifying and resolving IAQ complaints that are localized or widespread in an office building can be challenging due to many factors. An experienced and qualified professional, with access to the tools, instruments and resources required to complete a thorough investigation, is recommended for these types of building assessments.
These are just a few of the many things to know about indoor air quality complaints in office buildings. To learn more about this or other indoor air quality, industrial hygiene, environmental, health or safety issues, please visit the websites shown below.
Clark Seif Clark https://www.csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. https://www.emsl.com
LA Testing https://www.latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental https://www.zimmetry.com
CTSI https://www.ctsiweb.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine https://www.healthyindoors.com