Introduction
What is IAQ?
IAQ is the nature of air that affects the health and well-being of occupants indoor.
IAQ is usually due to inadequate ventilation
What are the effects of IAQ?
IAQ will effect in terms of comfort, acute health and chronic health.
Effects of IAQ contain 6 categories:
Respiratory cancer
Pulmonary disease
Infectious diseases
Immunological disorder
Irritations
Odor
IAQ will lower productivity and morale of the occupants due to...
Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)
1. SBS refers to persistent set of symptoms occurring in greater than 20% of the exposed,
2. Causes not recognizable and symptoms/complaints relieved after exiting the building.
Building Related Illness (BRI)
1. Which are disease resulting from exposure to indoor air pollutants.
2. In many cases, BRI is an advanced stage of SBS.
Some of the symptoms are
1. Eye, nose or throat irritation
2. Headaches
3. Fatigue and dizziness
4. Difficulty in concentration
5. Nausea
6. Nose bleeds
7. Nasal congestion
8. Rashes
9. Dry skin or lips
10. Difficulty in breathing
IAQ Standard
IAQ has consolidated the many different standards, guidelines, reports and study recommendations. Seems Malaysia still don't have it own standard, so one useful reference guide standard that recommended for good indoor environments can be use to monitor the whole parameters.
Air Quality Standard
|
Parameter
|
Air Quality Standard
|
Organization
|
Health Hazards
|
|
Carbon Monoxide
|
35ppm / 40,000µg/ as 1 hour average
|
EPA
NPAAQS
|
dizziness, loss of memory, fatigue, headaches, loss of
muscular control
|
|
9ppm / 10,000µg/ as 8 hour average
|
SIAQG
|
|
Carbon Dioxide
|
Ventilation rate/air exchange rate
to achieve carbon dioxide level below 1,000ppm / 1800mg/
|
ASHRAE
SIAQG
|
headache, sensation of shortage of
breath, discomfort effects
|
|
Total Volatile Organic Compounds
|
4ppm / 5mg/ for total VOCs
|
AIHA
|
acute
bronchitis, humidifier fever, allergies, skin irritation
|
|
3ppm
|
SIAQG
|
|
Ozone
|
0.12ppm / 5µg/ as 1 hour average
|
EPA
NPAAQS
|
0.1 ppm
eye irritation
0.15 ppm increase asthmatic effect, bronchitis,
bronchopneumonia, abscesses of lung & lung tumours
|
|
0.05 ppm
/ 100 µg/ as 8 hour average
|
WHO
ASHRAE
SIAQG
|
|
Respirable Suspended Particulates
|
150µg/ as 24 hour average
50µg/ as annual mean
|
EPA
NPAAQS
|
eye, nose irritation, cough,
sneezing, asthmatic effects
|
|
0.15µg/ as 24 hour average
|
SIAQG
|
|
Formaldehyde
|
1ppm
|
OSHA
|
carcinogenic, miscellaneous
hypersensitivity fatigue
|
|
0.4ppm for indoor exposure
|
ASHRAE
|
|
0.1ppm / 120µg/
|
SIAQG
|
|
Temperature
|
22°C - 24°C
|
ASHRAE
|
discomfort, difficulty in
concentration, fatigue, sleepiness
|
|
22.5°C - 25.5°C
|
SIAQG
|
|
Relative Humidity
|
40% - 60%
|
ASHRAE
|
discomfort, stuffy, headache, dry
throat, skin discomfort, eye discomfort (contact lens wearer)
|
|
 70%
|
SIAQG
|
|
Bacteria
|
500 CFU/ as a maximum value
|
WHO
AIHA
SIAQG
|
infections, pontiac fever, legionnarie
disease
|
|
Fungus
|
500 CFU/ as a maximum value
|
AIHA
SIAQG
|
stimulate the outbreak of asthma
|
|
Air Movement
|
0.25m/s
|
WHO
SIAQG
|
physical discomfort, stuffy,
headache
|
Abbreviations
| ASHARE |
American Society of Heating, Air conditioning & Refrigeration Engineers, US |
| NPAAQS |
National Primary Ambient Air Quality Standards |
| NIOSH |
National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety, US |
| SIAQG |
Singapore Indoor Air Quality Guidelines |
| AIHA |
American Industrial Hygiene Association, US |
| ACGIH |
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienist, US |
EPA |
Environmental Protection Agency, US |
WHO |
World Health Organization |
| OSHA |
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, US |
| STEL |
Short Term Exposure Limit |
| TWA |
Time Weighted Average |
|
Subject
Air Quality Assessment should be conducted by an established IAQ Specialist in Kuala Lumpur, West Malaysia.
Objective
Monitoring air cleanliness in the work place provides information in the place, at a time, and in a way that allows action to be taken to meet health and safety objective
The primary objective of monitoring is to provide information which the workers and management can use to ensure that, as far as reasonably practicable, no one suffers injury or illness or a reduced quality or length of life as a result of exposure to air pollutants associated with the work being done.
Secondary objectives of monitoring air pollutants in the work place are to:
1. provide data to show compliance with statutory exposure standards;
2. provide long-term data for possible future epidemiological studies;
3. provide information to enable improved production efficiency
Consider what, where and when possible chemical agents might be inhaled. Perform spot measurements to confirm where the most hazardous exposures occur. Use area measurements to identify locations within production areas where elevated exposures might occur. Use personal measurements to identify workers whose jobs are associated with the highest exposures. Make multiple area or personal measurements where the highest exposures occur.
Use the data to answer the following questions:
1. Can periods of high exposure levels be co-related with specific processes or actions?
2. How do the exposure levels compare with the recommended exposure standard?
3. How do the exposure levels compare with threshold values for toxic symptoms reported on Material Safety Data Sheets or in the literature?
Maintaining a safe workplace - Once a safe work place has been established, its integrity should be ensured by a program of regular monitoring. Additional monitoring should be used whenever there is a change in the work place conditions.
The Auditing Process
1. WALK-THROUGH INSPECTION
The Premises
--Human Exposure and Comfort Levels
--Potential Sources of Contamination
The Air-Conditioning & Mechanical Ventilation System
-- Supply Air Diffusers and Return Air Grilles.
-- Supply and Return Air Ducts.
-- Air Handling Units (AHUs).
-- Air Filters.
-- Outdoor/Fresh Air Intakes.
2. OCCUPANT FEEDBACK
--Demographic Information.
--Environmental Conditions.
--Nature of Occupation.
--Health Complaints
3. INDOOR AIR TESTING
-- Sampling and Measurements.
-- Laboratory Analysis
4. REPORTING
-- Observations and Results
-- Analysis
-- Interpretation
-- Recommandations
Test Methodology of IAQ Audit
|
Parameter
|
Methodology
|
|
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
|
Carbon Dioxide was measured using a Carbon Dioxide sensor
connected to a Metronics Indoor Air Quality
Monitor, for a 1 minute interval over the desired sampling duration.
|
|
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
|
Carbon Monoxide was
measured using a Carbon Dioxide sensor.
|
|
Respirable Particles
|
Respirable Particles
was measured using a Grimm Portable Dust Monitor.
|
|
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
|
Volatile Organic Compounds was measured using a Oregon Scientific direct measurement meter for a one
minute interval over the desired sampling duration.
|
|
Formaldehyde
|
Formaldehyde was sampled in compliance with American
Society of Testing of
Materials [ASTM D 5014-89 Standard Test Method For Measurement
of Formaldehyde in Indoor Air (Passive Sampler Methodology)].
|
|
Ozone
|
Ozone was measured by Means by
Riken Keiki Toxic Gas with Ozone sensor.
|
|
Total
Bacteria Counts
|
Airborne Bacteria
Using an Air Sampler, 100 liters of ambient air was
impacted onto Blood Agar contained in a 90mm Petri dish which was then
incubated for 48 hours at 370C prior to microbial counts.
Surface Bacteria
TTC-Agar (colourless/yellowish)
contained in a test slide was lightly depressed onto the cooling coil surface
for about 5 seconds and prior to incubation for 48 hours at 270C
prior to total bacteria count.
|
|
Total
Fungi Counts
|
Airborne Fungi
Using an Air Sampler, 100 liters of ambient air was
impacted onto Sabrout Agar contained in a 90mm
Petri dish which was then incubated for 5 days at 250C prior to
fungi counts.
Surface Fungi
Potato Dextrose Agar modified (orange) contained on a test
slide was lightly depressed onto the cooling coil surface for about 5 seconds
to incubation for 4 days at 270C prior to fungi count.
|
|
Velocity
|
Velocity of air was measured by
using an anemometer.
|
|
Temperature
|
Temperature was measured using a
Pychometric Meter from Amprobe
Instruments for a 1 minute interval over the desired sampling duration.
|
|
Relative
Humidity
|
Relative Humidity was measured
by using a Metro Sonic Indoor Air Quality Monitor.
|
|
