1. Asthma & Indoor Air Quality Workshop
National Environmental
Health Association
Many people in ____________ County are concerned about elevated levels of radon gas in their homes, schools, and workplaces. Although homeowners are aware of how easy it is to test their homes, many may not be aware of how easily radon exposures can be reduced and how common this procedure is in ________________ County.
If you are interested in determining and reducing your family’s exposure to radon, as many of your neighbors have already done, this program will summarize many proven radon testing and reduction techniques. It will also detail some of the resources that are available to help you in selecting radon professionals, or in some cases, to test and fix the problem yourself.
However, before we get started on the program, let’s find out what your specific interest and knowledge is regarding the radon issue so the program can be somewhat customized to insure that your specific needs are addressed. Let’s go around the room and have each of you tell us your name, why you are here, if you have tested and - if you want to - tell us your results. We would also like you to briefly describe your home as to whether it is a slab-on-grade, basement or crawl space, etc., and also if you are in the process of selling your home.
Radon is an environmental concern with an easy solution!
Washington DC, February 18-20, 2004

2. Indoor Environmental Quality: Defining The Problem

3. Lot in the media. Have you seen something on iAQ.

5. Why should you be interested in IAQ?
Regulatory actions
Civil lawsuits
Employee productivity
Employee satisfaction
Worker compensation claims
Insurance costs
Mold related claims increasing dramatically
Regulatory: OSHA does regulate IAQ. They use general duty clause. “Healthful workplace” CO2, ventilation air flows. They can cite generally accepted standards like 1000 ppm. Corrective rather punitive
Civil lawsuits: Chronic fatigue Fibrmyalgia. Bioaerosols. The most well knoiwn. Court house in Florida multi-million dollar. Brought by county against builder. Mold on inside of building. Almost all occupational settings. Two schools shut down in Colorado shut down for IAQ. Pueblo, disinfectant.
Employee productivity: Sick leave, headaches, griping,
Injuries during construction;
Workmnas comp – schools. Littleton, Cty Court house-15 workman’s . (long-term pneumonitis) many short-term.

6. Liability
Over 9,000 toxic mold and mildew-related suits filed in U.S. & Canada over past 10 years.
$8,000,000,000 class action suit in New York
$32,000,000 award to Texas homeowner.
$18,500,000 award to California homeowner.
Not only a concern, but precedents have been established.

7. A company determined that 60% of people felt were working in sick buildings.

8. Range of Symptom Complaints Found in 14 Metro Schools
Low School
High School
Headache
22%
69%
Nasal
29%
54%
Sinus Cong.
20%
42%
Sinus Inf. 4%
31%
Eye Irritation
22%
31%
Four school diotricts 5 school buildings with no known IAQ problems. The numbers are a range. Based upon teacher feelings of environment.
How many of the folks, have a complaint. Could be a simple as a little irritation.
It is not surprising that people will complain so 30% may not an anomaly. Everybody complains.
Sore Throat
16%
27%
Hoarseness
18%
23%
Runny Nose
10%
38%
Fatigue
22%
31%

9. Possible causes of the increase in IAQ complaints?
Lower ventilation rates
Non-opening windows
Interior offices
Media attention
Microchemophobia
Less “natural” indoor environment
In 50’sExterior offices open windows.
Then moved to central area.
Nowwindows don’t open.
Now away from windows.
Mass psychogenic illness (hysteria spreads). But perhaps they were not crazy people.
Media allowed confirmation of people to
Microchemophbia. People concerned over trace quantities of chemicals.
Current folks like a natural environment that we have moved away.

10. “Mythconceptions” Tight buildings cause indoor air pollution.
Opening windows will help IAQ problems.
Plants and a “natural environment’ will reduce IAQ problems.
Carbon dioxide is a major cause of IAQ problems.
Arapahoe Cty Courthouse- when windows open a stack effect would cause gases from boiler room.
Spider plants may create mold. Plants can be source of microbes
CO ventialtion.

11. Indoor Pollutant Levels
Levels are times higher indoors.
Some activities substantially increase indoor pollutants.
Remodeling, print shops, copy machines, etc.
New buildings may have VOC levels that may be 100 times higher than outside.
Pyrolysis products of plastic heated carbon
To make car smell new you spray chemicals.

12. IAQ Definitions Building Related Illness vs. Sick Building Syndrome
Building Related Illness is different from SBS

13. Building Related Illness
A set of symptoms that can result in a specific diagnosis by a physician.
Examples:
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
Occupational asthma
Legionella
Tuberculosis
When An illness that can be diagnosed
Hypersenc 1/1000 people is common several cases in a building is unusual.
TB is airborne spread.

14. Causes of Building Related Illness
Chemical exposures
Isocyanates
Paints
Methacrylates
Carpets
Cleaning agents.
Bioaerosol exposures
Legionella, molds, bacteria, viruses
Insects (cockroach, dust mites, etc)
Pets (dogs, cats, and birds)
Isocyanates– 2 part paints. Asthma
Methacrolates: carpet
Cleaning agents (tilex calcium hypochlorite)
Bioaresols:
Allergic rhinitis, Dust mites and cockroaches

15. Sick Building Syndrome
A set of general symptoms or complaints that defy a specific diagnosis but seem to be related to a specific building.
Large number of workers complaining of symptoms in a building.
ASHRAE used to use guideline of 20%
SBS is different. General sysmptons that can be diagmnsded
Respiratory distress.
Who has had headaches etc. in the last few weeks and what caused.
Ashrae used to think that 20% constitutes a SBS, but in reality it is likely to be higher.

16. Typical SBS Symptoms Mucous membrane irritation Eye irritation
Upper respiratory symptoms
Cough and sneezing
Systemic symptoms
Headache and fatigue
Other: rash, hearing difficulty
According to John, almost everyone has rashes.

17. Sources of IAQ Pollutants
Outdoor pollution
Indoor pollution
Building material off-gassing
Inadequate ventilation
Design
Maintenance
During renovations

18. Outdoor Pollution Vehicle exhaust Ventilation system exhaust placement
Ventilation system intake placement
Construction activity
Outdoor air pollution
Diesel close to vehicle idoling area.
Exhaust trapped or rentrainment. Air intakes at ground level.
Aspergillis outbreaks due to compost near air intake.

19. Indoor Pollution Cleaning compounds Photocopy machines
Manufacturing processes
Smoking policies
Construction
Humidity or water infiltration
Mold
Cleaningcompounds: Carpet cleaning compounds at too high strength.
Not so much ozone. Upper respiratory in office workers may be associated with copy machine. Acrid burning smell.
Manufacturing within office area.
Any smoking will be picked up.
Hospital-paint one floor and filled pediatric ward with paint fumes.

20. Building Material Off-Gassing
Formaldehyde from wood products
VOC’s from carpeting
Paint odors
Fiberglass materials
Glues
Formaldehyde is less of a problem glues have been refomlated and care. Still a concern but not as much. Formaldehyde is a sensitizer.
Some areas have recommended 6 weeks. Burn-out (high heat with lots of air does not work well, because it gets into walls.
Some of material manufacturers are selling low excess VOC
6 months
Fiberglass materials-itching and then spouse starts itching (non-respiratory).

21. Inadequate Ventilation
Inadequate pre-filtration or dehumidification
Poor maintenance
Inadequate outdoor air
Poor distribution
Lack of local exhaust for processes
Accumulation of moisture and other vapors
Uncontrolled entry of unconditioned air
Moisture
Particulates
Inadequate pre-filtration