Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) refers to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants. Changes with building systems, construction materials, and construction techniques have resulted in more energy efficient structures where people reside and work. Sometimes advancements in the way buildings and building systems are constructed or maintained produce unexpected side effects that can become a source of discomfort where IAQ is concerned. Many factors affect IAQ. These factors include poor ventilation (lack of outside air), problems controlling temperature, high or low humidity, recent remodeling, and other activities in or near a building that can affect the fresh air coming into the building. Sometimes, specific contaminants like dust from construction or renovation, mold, cleaning supplies, pesticides, or other airborne chemicals may cause poor IAQ. Customer satisfaction surveys conducted by the Office of Facility Management (AMP) during recent years have identified IAQ as one of the issues that Aeronautical Center personnel are concerned about. In response to these concerns, the Office of Facility Management (AMP) is conducting additional building surveys to identify IAQ issues that may exist; including IAQ as a focus item during organization safety inspections; and providing more information about IAQ during safety meetings, Safety Stand Down meetings, and in informational articles such as this one.
Indoor Air Quality Issues are covered in the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center Occupational Safety and Health Program, AC Order 3900.21, Chapter 18, titled Indoor Air Quality. There are no regulatory standards for indoor air quality. There are only recommendations set by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) for things such as temperature, relative humidity, and carbon dioxide. There are other standards set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). However, the limits set in these standards are at much higher levels because they are based on occupational exposures in industrial areas due to chemical exposures. The Aeronautical Center facilities rarely see levels this high in administrative areas, but when we do it can be obvious such as a vehicle left running near an air intake area or as a result of construction activities.
Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems
The Operations and Maintenance Division (AMP-300) conducts quarterly HVAC inspections and changes the filters out several times a year based on their inspections. They also conduct weekly inspections and physical walk-throughs of every building on the Center (occupied or not). They check for water damage, signs of water infiltration, strange smells or odors, visible mold, and dust to make sure janitorial services are cleaning properly.
Personnel have inquired why they sometimes have more allergy symptoms when they are in buildings at the Aeronautical Center. There are many factors that can cause this, but the most likely reason is because outside air can contain many more allergens than a person may experience inside their homes. Many homes today have great energy efficiency compared to decades ago (e.g., using insultation, weather stripping, energy efficient windows, etc.). Most people that have allergies also buy efficient filters for their homes that will filter out pollens, allergens, pet dander, smoke, etc. This effectively turns homes into an extremely clean air environment. When a person that has allergies (many in Oklahoma do because of the flat land and strong winds) decides to leave their home and enter a commercial building on the Aeronautical Center grounds, they will experience a change. Commercial buildings like those on the Aeronautical Center, bring in about 10-20% outside fresh air which is recommended by the professional American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). There is a great deal of outside air moving inside the buildings when doors are opening frequently. Most people that experience severe allergy symptoms need to consult with their doctor to take a daily medication to help with their symptoms and some allergy medications may take several days before they become effective and can experience the benefits.
The HVAC systems also go into energy saving mode on the weekends and evenings when personnel are not occupying the buildings. Most buildings have the HVAC system(s) to "kick" back on into normal settings at 6 am during regular workdays. If the HVAC system has been in an energy savings mode all weekend and then an employee comes into work at 6am on Monday, the air could smell or seem stagnant, but this is not a health concern. The HVAC system will kick on and start to bring in outside fresh air and turn on air conditioning or heating depending on the outside temperatures.
High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filters
Personnel have also inquired about the use of HEPA filters in Aeronautical Center buildings. HEPA filters will not fit into the Center’s HVAC systems, and they were not designed to accept the much thicker HEPA filters. Many Aeronautical Center buildings have Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) filters installed that are better than what is installed in most residential homes. Most Aeronautical Center buildings have been upgraded to MERV-13 filters where possible, due to the COVID Pandemic. Most of the Center’s buildings have MERV-13 filters with a small exception of a few areas that have the MERV-8 (which still filters pollen, dust mites, mold, and larger dust particles). These filters are the best available filters that can be used within these HVAC ventilation systems.
Mold
Many people are concerned with mold in their workplace environment. For mold to be present there must be a moisture source. The Centers for Disease and Control (CDC) recommends that you find and fix the source of the moisture problem and prevent it from happening again to prevent mold growth. It is also an industry standard to replace items that can’t be dried and cleaned sufficiently such as sheetrock, wood, etc. If you find and fix the moisture problem, then you have effectively solved your potential mold problem. AMP-100 does not usually conduct mold sampling since hundreds of mold spores are present inside the buildings and in the outside environment all the time. There are also no regulatory standards when it comes to mold spores. Mold sampling is usually only conducted in the event of a doctor’s request based on a specific diagnosis related to a specific mold spore.
What Can You Do?
Ensure that items which may produce air contaminants are not in the workplace because some workers are extra sensitive to odors and smells. According to the Aeronautical Center’s Safety and Health Order, Order AC 3900.21, Chap. 18, paragraph 18-6, c.2.e "Organizations should refrain from introducing items…such as paints, lubricants, adhesives, plants, air fresheners, deodorizing sprays, candles, and any other items capable of producing air contaminants". Request carpet cleaning from AMP-300 if necessary. This could resolve mild odors that worker(s) may be concerned about.
If you have issues regarding your buildings air quality, please feel free to contact the AMP-100, Safety Office, Duane Roe at (405) 954-0004. If you need to report a water leak or have other facility issues/questions, please contact the AMP-300 Maintenance Trouble Desk at (405) 954-3687.
