indoor air quality protocols and communication
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Indoor Air Quality Protocols and Communication. NH Health Officer’s Association Spring Conference May 25, 2011 Phil Alexakos, MPH, REHS Chief of Environmental Health and Emergency Preparedness Manchester Health Department. Regulatory. Call comes in - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Indoor Air Quality Protocols and Communication
NH Health Officer’s Association Spring Conference
May 25, 2011
Phil Alexakos, MPH, REHSChief of Environmental Health and Emergency Preparedness
Manchester Health Department
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Regulatory
Call comes in“I have mold in my apartment, my
landlord won’t do anything about it. What can you do for me?”
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Regulation
Short answer– Nothing, there is no mold standard
Long answer– What other tools can we use?
Most important issue– What is the root cause?
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Regulation
Leaking Pipes– RSA 48 – Local Housing Code
Lack of a bathroom vent– Not required
Flooding
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RSA 48-A
48-A:14 Minimum Standards Established. – No landlord, as defined by RSA 540-A:1, I, renting or leasing a residential dwelling in a municipality which has not adopted ordinances, codes or bylaws pursuant to this chapter shall maintain those rented premises in a condition in which:
II. There is defective internal plumbing or a back-up of sewage caused by a faulty septic or sewage system; IV. The roof or walls leak consistently;
IX. There is an inadequate supply of water or whatever equipment that is available to heat water is not properly operating;
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Who Does the Work?
American Indoor Air Quality Council– CMI, CMC, CMR, CMRS
American Board of Industrial Hygiene– CIH
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Purpose
Establish guidelines and uniformity for conducting indoor air quality and mold related investigations in Manchester schools.
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Investigations
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5 Phases:
1. Receipt of Complaint 2. Data Gathering 3. On Site Investigation 4. Report 5. Discuss Results
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Phase 1: Receipt of Complaint
Role of Principal
Open Dialogue with Those Concerned
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Phase 2: Data Gathering
Interviews (Limited) Diaries (Limited) Questionnaire (Expanded) School Nurse Data Data Analysis Building Design Review (Floor
Plans, HVAC)
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Phase 3: On Site Investigation
Walk-through of Building
Grab Sampling of Basic IAQ Parameters
Additional Sampling as Indicated
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Phase 4: Report
Provide History & Background Information
Include Findings and Non-findings
Include Recommendations
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Phase 5: Discussions
Principal
Staff
Parents
Building Maintenance
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Important Points
Rarely is There a Single, Clear Cause IAQ Problems.
Other Issues Can Mask or Compound IAQ Problems.
No Magic Test to Find IAQ Problems
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Important Points
Communicate
Communicate
Communicate
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Proactive Communication
Identify an indoor air quality coordinator– “Tools for Schools” US EPA
NH DOE Requirement!!! (see form)Staff can go to one person to seek
information and/or share a concernAnticipate possible triggersChain of Command
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WHO??
School PrincipalSchool NurseChief of Facilities Person with the least seniority
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Reactive Communication
Share valid information as soon as you can
Take each concern seriouslyProvide updates to complainants
and other affected partiesPre-identify media spokesperson
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Communication Best Practices
RespectListenUpdateRumor ControlFinal Report
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Goal
To work collaboratively to assure that a building’s air quality is as good as possible.
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Case Study
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IAQ Complaints in the School Setting
Chronic Issue
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Details
Middle SchoolBuilt into the side of a large hillSubterranean “Bomb Shelter”
– Dirt floor, unventilated space
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Data Collection
Symptom questionnaires (journals)IAQ parameters via data loggerSchool Nurse student asthma dataFace-to-face interviews with
teachers
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Symptoms
StuffinessBurning eyesRespiratory Rash
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What Did We Learn?
Air exchange was not in balance– Negative air in classroom space
Bomb shelter was being enteredHumidity levels were >50 %Multiple complainants on the floor, all
abutting the Bomb Shelter space
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What Did We Do?
Restricted access to bomb shelter, all staff
Installed a mechanical vent with alarm in the bomb shelter space (negative air)
Adjusted balance in rooms to be positive
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Added Wrinkle
Specific mold related sensitivity complaint
Indoor and Outdoor comparative sampling with no significant difference between the two
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Final Steps
Communicate resultsEstablish a mechanism for any
further complaints or issues
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Special Thanks To:
Jim Thomas, CIH, MPH
Rosemary Caron, Ph.D., MPH
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Questions & Answers
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Resources
http://www.education.nh.gov/http://www.education.nh.gov/program/school_approval/program/school_approval/documents/A24IAQ.docdocuments/A24IAQ.doc
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/
phys_agents/thermal_comfort.htmlphys_agents/thermal_comfort.htmlhttp://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/
html/epi/moldrpt1.shtmlhtml/epi/moldrpt1.shtml