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Indoor Air Quality
Workplace IAQ
Online Libraries & Searches on IAQ
Recursos en Español
Oregon info for Indoor Air Quality
Indoor Air Quality
Workplace IAQ
Fragrance Free Policies
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Policy for Developing a Scent Free Workplace (PDF)
http://www.lung.ca/_resources/DevelopingaScentfreePolicyforaWorkplace.pdf (The Lung Association)
> This document, provided by the Lung Association, addresses recommendations for creating fragrance free work policies. -
Fragrance in the Workplace is the New Second-Hand Smoke (PDF)
http://asbbs.org/files/2009/PDF/D/De%20VaderC.pdf (ASBBS)
> This article, included in the Proceedings of American Society of Business and Behavioral Sciences, and written by Christy L. De Vader and Paxson Barker, address the topic of fragrance in the workplace. -
Accommodation and Compliance Series: Employees with Fragrance Sensitivity
http://askjan.org/media/fragrance.html (JAN)
> JAN’s Accommodation and Compliance Series is designed to help employers determine effective accommodations and comply with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This document discusses workplace fragrance sensitivity. -
OSH Answers: Scent-Free Policy for the Workplace
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/scent_free.html (CCOHS)
> These guidelines, provided by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety address issues related to the wearing of scents at work.
General Resources
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Added Feb Preventing worker illness from indoor pesticide exposure
http://cdph.ca.gov/programs/ohsep/Pages/IndoorPest.aspx (CDPH)
> California Department of Public Health, Occupational Health Branch offers fact sheets and other educational materials about indoor pesticide use -
NIOSH Alert: Preventing Occupational Respiratory Disease from Exposures Caused by Dampness in Office Buildings, Schools, and Other Nonindustrial Buildings
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2013-102/ (NIOSH)
> Office buildings, schools, and other nonindustrial buildings may develop moisture and dampness problems from roof and window leaks, high indoor humidity, and flooding events, among other things. For this Alert, we define "dampness" as the presence of unwanted and excessive moisture in buildings [AIHA 2008]. -
Office Environment and Worker Safety & Health
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/officeenvironment/?s_cid=3ni7d2fb101120110330pm (NIOSH)
> Maintaining a healthy office environment requires attention to chemical hazards, equipment and work station design, physical environment (temperature, humidity, light, noise, ventilation, and space), task design, psychological factors (personal interactions, work pace, job control) and sometimes, chemical or other environmental exposures. -
IAQ in Large Buildings: Building Assessment Survey and Evaluation (BASE) Study
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/base/ (EPA)
> EPA conducted the Building Assessment Survey and Evaluation (BASE) study. The BASE study used a standardized protocol to collect extensive indoor air quality data from one hundred randomly selected public and commercial office buildings in thirty-seven cities and twenty-five states. -
OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Indoor Air Quality
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/indoorairquality/index.html (OSHA)
> The purpose of this webpage is to give workers and employers useful, up-to-date information to identify, correct, and prevent IAQ problems. -
OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Indoor Air Quality
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/indoorairquality/index.html (OSHA)
> The purpose of this webpage is to give workers and employers useful, up-to-date information to identify, correct, and prevent IAQ problems -
Indoor Air Quality in Commercial and Institutional Buildings (2011) (PDF)
http://www.osha.gov/Publications/3430indoor-air-quality-sm.pdf (OSHA)
> This document addresses common topics related to indoor air quality in commercial buildings including: sources of air pollutions, prevention or control of IAQ problems, and applicable standards along with various checklists. -
Indoor Air Quality - An Introduction to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html (EPA)
> This page provided by the Environmental Protection Agency addresses sources, health effects, levels in homes, steps to reduce, standards or guidelines and additional resources that relate to VOCs. -
Indoor Air Quality
http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Topics/AtoZ/IndoorAir/default.asp (Washington Department of Labor and Industries)
> Every year, WISHA receives numerous inquiries and complaints from employees and employers alike on the subject of indoor air quality (IAQ) in the workplace. This document addresses questions and answers on indoor air quality. -
Air Quality in the Workplace
http://www.lungusa.org/healthy-air/work/ (ALA)
> American Lung Association Topic Page with documents on air quality in large buildings, duct cleaning, carpet, occupational hazards, air cleaning devices, smoking policies and specific indoor pollutants. -
Building Air Quality Action Plan
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/98-123a.html (NIOSH)
> To promote the use of these straightforward practices to improve IAQ, EPA and other leaders in the IAQ field developed this 8-step Building Air Quality Action Plan (BAQ Action Plan). This additional resource meets the needs of building owners and managers who want an easy-to-understand path for taking their building from current conditions and practices to the successful institutionalization of good IAQ management practices. -
NIOSH Safety and Health Topic: Indoor Environmental Quality
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/indoorenv/ (NIOSH)
> "Indoor Environmental Quality," as the name implies, simply refers to the quality of the air in an office or other building environment. "Sick Building Syndrome" is a term many people use to convey a wide range of symptoms they believe can be attributed to the building itself. Workers typically implicate the workplace environment because their symptoms are alleviated when they leave the office. -
OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Indoor Air Quality
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/indoorairquality/ (OSHA)
> Complaints about IAQ range from simple complaints such as the air smelling odd to more complex, where the air quality causes illness and lost work time. It may not be easy to identify a single reason for IAQ complaints because of the number and variety of possible sources, causes, and varying individual sensitivities. The following questions link to resources that provide safety and health information relevant to indoor air quality. -
EPA Indoor Air Quality Home Page
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/ (EPA)
> Includes access to Environmental Protection Agency documents on indoor air quality, mold, radon, asthma and more. -
I-BEAM Text Modules: Fundamentals of IAQ in Buildings
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/largebldgs/i-beam/text/fundamentals_of_iaq.html (EPA)
> This module provides the fundamentals to understanding indoor air quality. It provides a rudimentary framework for understanding how indoor and outdoor sources of pollution, heat and humidity, together with the ventilation and air conditioning systems affect the indoor air quality in buildings.
Investigation Guidance
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Factsheet 100 - Legionella and Legionnaires' Disease: European policies and good practices
http://osha.europa.eu/en/publications/factsheets/100 (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work)
> This factsheet summarises the occupational aspects of exposure to Legionella. It is based on an overview of European policies related to Legionella and Legionnaires’ disease and case studies on how to control Legionella risks. -
Total Volatile Organic Compound (TVOC) Measurement for LEED/Green Building Evaluation
http://www.caslab.com/News/tvoc-leed.html?utm_source=streamsend&utm_medium=email&utm_content=4289332&utm_campaign=Lab%20Science%20News%20-%20LEED/Green%20Building%20Evaluation (Columbia Analytical Services)
> Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC) may be evaluated when building designers/managers are pursuing the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System for New Construction (LEED-NC) EQ Credit 3.2. -
NIOSH Safety and Health Topic: Indoor Environmental Quality - Maintaining Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) during Construction and Renovation
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/indoorenv/ConstructionIEQ.html (NIOSH)
> This topic page provided by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health presents FAQs and tips for the workplace for maintaining indoor air quality during construction and renovation. -
Legionnaires' Disease - OSHA eTool
http://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/legionnaires/index.html (OSHA)
> This eTool is designed to assist industrial hygienists in the assessment of worksites for potential Legionnaires' disease. It provides information on disease recognition, investigation procedures to identify probable water sources, and control strategies. The majority of legionellosis is caused by Legionella pneumophila, and so this eTool will deal exclusively with that organism. -
OR-OSHA Program Directive - Indoor Air Quality (IAQ): OR-OSHA Procedures for Assessing and Responding to Complaints and Employer Requests for Assistance (PDF)
http://www.cbs.state.or.us/external/osha/pdf/pds/pd-252.pdf (Oregon OSHA)
> This directive establishes a policy for handling complaints and employer requests for assistance regarding problems with IAQ in any building, and provides guidelines to be used when evaluating IAQ concerns. It applies whenever OR-OSHA staff evaluate workplace hazards relating to IAQ in office buildings. -
OSHA Technical Manual – Indoor Air Quality Investigation
http://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/otm_iii/otm_iii_2.html (OSHA)
> The OTM provides technical information and guidance on occupational safety and health topics. The content is based on currently available research publications, OSHA standards, and consensus standards. The purpose of the manual is to assist OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officers in hazard recognition and to provide guidance in accident prevention. It also serves as a source of advice for CSHO's on safety and health issues -
IAQ Tools for Schools Kit – IAQ Coordinator’s Guide
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/tfs/guidtoc.html (EPA)
> The goal of this Kit is to provide clear and easily applied guidance that will help prevent indoor air quality (IAQ) problems and resolve such problems promptly if they do arise. It recommends practical actions that can be carried out by the school staff without the need for training, and is flexible enough to conform to the specific needs of your school.
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