Indoor air quality (also called "indoor environmental quality") describes how inside air can affect a person's health, comfort, and ability to work. It can include temperature, humidity, lack of outside air (poor ventilation), mold from water damage, or exposure to other chemicals.

Managing indoor air quality problems, particularly transient odors, can be a significant challenge. Experience has shown that effective response to these concerns is based on a working partnership between Occupational Health and Safety Office with the expertise to evaluate potential hazards present, Facilities Management staff with knowledge of mechanical systems specific to the building involved, and the building occupants. Information from all three of these groups is necessary to identify and prioritize potential solutions.

The purpose of this written Indoor Air Quality Management Program is to provide basic procedures in response to an indoor air quality complaint and is a means to analyze workplace conditions, contributing factors, and determine appropriate corrective actions against occupational workplace hazards.

Indoor Air Quality issues can often take time to resolve since there is a lot of investigative work that needs to be done. Please be patient with the process. Leave the area if you feel your health is in jeopardy.

If you have an Indoor Air Quality issue to report, do the following:

What you can do

  • Do not block air vents or grilles.
  • Water and maintain office plants properly.
  • Dispose of garbage promptly and properly.
  • Store food properly.
  • Avoid bringing products into the building that could release harmful or bothersome odors or contaminants.
  • Notify the building or facility manager immediately if you suspect an IAQ problem.

In case of emergency vs non-emergency:

If the issue is an emergency with immdiate danger to property, life, or health, take immediate action to protect the occupants by calling 911 or UVM Police Services. 

Examples: smoke, very strong odor, large hazard material spill

If it is not an emergency, Call UVM Service Operations (SOS) at 802-656-2560.
Press 1 to speak to a dispatcher.
Explain your situation.
Service Operations will then page both Facilities Management building zone maintenance personnel and EHS staff to respond swiftly.

Examples: visible mold, minor spill cleanup, known odors, temperature and humidity, allergy like symptoms 

Facilities Management generally respond to the following:

Temperature or humidity problems,
Draftiness,
Lack of air or "stuffy" air, and
Dirt or particulates coming from your ventilation system.

EHS typically respond to complaints involving:

Unusual odors such as chemical odors and exhaust,
Visible mold growth,
Sickness associated with occupancy of the building such as headache, nausea, drowsiness, dizziness, congestion, swelling, itching, dryness or irritation of eyes, nose or throat, cough, shortness of breath, fever, chills and fatigue. Remember that colds and the flu can have some of these same symptoms, but they will not be associated with your occupancy of the building.

IAQ Hazards

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

CO is a colorless, odorless gas produced by the incomplete burning of material containing carbon. Common sources of CO are leaking vented combustion appliances, automobile exhaust, parking garages, etc. When not properly ventilated, emitted CO can build up. Employees exposed to low levels of CO may feel sick with headache and nausea, and will feel better when exposed to fresh air outside.

CO Poisoing Symptoms

Poisoning due to low levels of CO can be confused with influenza symptoms, food poisoning, or other illnesses, and can be a long-term health risk if left unattended. Some of the symptoms of low-level CO poisoning are shortness of breath, mild nausea, and mild headaches. Prolonged exposure to high levels of CO can lead to brain damage and even death. Adequate ventilation is an important control measure.

The OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for CO is 50 parts per million (ppm) as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA); the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has a Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) of 35 ppm as a 10-hour TWA. According to the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), the threshold limit value for CO is 25 ppm as an 8-hour TWA.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

CO2 CO2 is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. It is a product of completed carbon combustion and the by-product of biological respiration. ASHRAE states that CO2 concentrations in acceptable outdoor air typically range from 300-500 ppm. High CO2 levels may indicate a problem with overcrowding or inadequate outdoor air ventilation rates.

CO2 Poisoning Symptoms 

CO2, a by-product of normal cell function, is removed from the body via the lungs in the exhaled air. Exposure to high levels of CO2 can increase the amount of this gas in the blood, which is referred to as hypercapnia or hypercarbia. As the severity of hypercapnia increases, more symptoms ranging from headache to unconsciousness appear, and it can also lead to death.

 

Pesticides

Pesticides are any substances or mixture of substances used for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest. These substances include insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and various other substances used to control pests. Pesticides can cause harm to humans, animals, and the environment because they are designed to kill or otherwise adversely affect living organisms. Pesticides can also kill potential disease-causing organisms.

Pesticide Poisoning Symptoms

Symptoms of pesticide poisoning depend heavily on the pesticide to which the worker was exposed. The most common symptoms include headache, tears in the eyes, vomiting, sweating, and general weakness.

Radon

Radon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless radioactive gas. It comes from the natural decay of uranium and some other radionuclides that are present in soil. Radon gas can accumulate in buildings, such as crawl spaces and basements. 

Biological Contaminants

Dander from animals, pollens from plants, and microbes, may act as allergens when they are inhaled. These biological contaminants are usually attached to dust particles of various sizes. . Drapery, carpet and other places where dust collects, and areas with high humidity can accelerate their growth. The most common sources of biological air contaminants are moisture-laden areas that supportthe growth of mold and bacteria present in the air. Also, wet surfaces can provide a breeding ground for insects such as dust mites. Please see UVM Water Intrusion Response Program for more information.  

Damp Indoor Environments

Damp indoor environments have been associated with many serious health effects, including asthma, hypersensitivity, and sinusitis. Moisture incursion leading to dampness can result from water leaks
and/or by condensation due to high humidity. Please see UVM Water Intrusion Response Program for more information.

Management of moisture requires proper control of temperatures and ventilation to avoid high humidity, condensation on surfaces, and excess moisture in materials. Ventilation should be distributed  effectively in spaces, and stagnant air zones should be avoided. 

 

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

VOCs refer to organic chemical compounds that have significant vapor pressures, and that can adversely affect the environment and human health. VOCs are emitted by a wide array of products numbering in the thousands. Examples include paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, office equipment such as copiers and printers, correction fluids and carbonless copy paper, and graphics and craft materials, including glues and adhesives, permanent markers, and photographic solutions. More commonly known VOCs include benzene, formaldehyde, methylene chloride, trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene.

In offices, VOCs result from new furnishings, wall coverings, and office equipment such as photocopy machines, which can off gas VOCs into the air (47, 48). Good ventilation and air-conditioning systems are essential to reduce VOC emissions in the indoor environment.

To reduce exposure, use products according to manufacturer’s directions, make sure that plenty of fresh air is provided when using these products, discard used containers safely, buy quantities that can be used in short periods of time.

To request a training in Indoor Air Quaility (IAQ) or other specific training, please contact your supervisor and the Occupational Health and Safety Office at ohso@uvm.edu or call 802.656 SAFE (7233).

Forms

IAQ Occupant Questionnaire

IAQ Occupant Journal 

For EHS Staff ONLY:

IAQ Assessment Checklist

Additional Resources

Vermont Health Department (VHD) Indoor Air Quality

OSHA Publication OSHA 3430-04 2011 "Indoor Air Quality in Commercial and Institutional Buildings"

OSHA Idoor Air Quality Overview

EPA Publication An Office Building Occupant's Guide to Indoor Air Quality