Indoor Air Quality in the Workplace

Indoor pollution is one of the most significant factors involved in poor air quality. Contamination from inside a building causes 16% of IAQ issues, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Chemicals, odor and exhaust originating from an indoor space can all create indoor air pollution. Some common offenders are bathrooms, copy rooms, kitchens, smoking lounges, laboratories, exercise rooms, print shops and art rooms, workshops and beauty salons.

Indoor contamination can come from many sources, including:

• Office equipment emissions like ozone or volatile organic compounds.
• Supplies like printer toner, solvents and ammonia.
• Shops, labs and cleaning equipment emissions.
• Mechanical systems like elevator motors.
• Carpets, curtains, old furniture and open shelving that collects or releases dust and fibers.
• Damaged materials that contain asbestos. Soiled or water-damaged furniture harboring bacteria or mold.
• Furniture or building materials that emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or inorganic compounds.
• Surface condensation that promotes microbial growth.
• Clogged or poorly designed drains that allow standing water to accumulate.
• Sewer gas passing through dry traps.

Proper temperature, ventilation and humidity levels are crucial for healthy indoor air. Extreme temperatures are a health hazard, and a few degrees in the wrong direction makes a workspace uncomfortable. Humidity also needs to fall within an acceptable window. Low humidity can cause dry skin or nasal passages and eye irritation. Excessive moisture content causes water to condense, encouraging mold and dust mites. Meanwhile, ventilation lets fresh air enter from outside and filters out carbon dioxide from the indoor environment.

Your building’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system controls all these factors. A well-designed HVAC system ensures a comfortable, safe and productive work environment. Malfunctions with the HVAC can affect the temperature, humidity or ventilation levels. According to NIOSH, inadequate ventilation causes 52% of indoor air quality problems.

The system can also become contaminated. An HVAC system may cause IAQ issues through:

• Dust and dirt in the air ducts.
• Mold or bacteria in the drip pans, ductwork, coils or humidifiers.
• Cleaning compounds, sealants or biocides wafting through the equipment.
• Leaking refrigerant.

Even a clean HVAC in perfect working order can contribute to IAQ issues. If contaminants from another source are present, the HVAC becomes the vehicle that distributes them around the building.

The employees or residents in your building can also affect indoor air quality. Smoking, cosmetic odors and body odors can all pose air quality concerns.

Sometimes, people’s work-related activities contribute to indoor air quality problems. Some of these activities include:

• Cleaning procedures.
• Storing cleaning supplies or trash improperly.
• Using deodorizers or fragrances.
• Circulating dust or dirt through sweeping or vacuuming.
• Releasing dust or fibers during demolition.
• Using paint, caulk, adhesives and other products that contain VOCs.
• Spraying pesticides.

Some of the other sources for IAQ issues include:

• Accidental spills.
• Microbe growth related to floods, roof leaks or piping.
• Fire damage like soot.
• Polychlorinated biphenyls from electrical equipment and odors.
• Emissions from new furniture.
• Microbes released during demolition or remodeling.