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Indoor Air Quality Testing

What is Indoor Air Quality?

Indoor air quality focuses on maintaining a safe and healthy work environment for employees free of overexposure to air contaminants. Typical symptoms of overexposure to air contaminants may include headaches, unexplained fatigue, itching or burning eyes, skin irritations, nasal congestion, dry or irritated throat, or nausea.

Is OSHA concerned about Indoor Air Quality?

OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1910 governs indoor air quality. The regulation establishes Permissible Exposure Limits (PEL’s) for approximately 400 substances and protocol for testing to determine employee exposure. Substances covered include dust and carbon dioxide, as well as chemical substances.

OSHA does enforce this regulation through their inspection process during which they may conduct air sampling to determine if a facility is in compliance. In addition to arbitrary inspections, OSHA is almost certain to visit a facility in follow-up to a complaint lodged by a disgruntled employee, or as part of an accident investigation. During an accident investigation most penalties are for subjects outside the scope of the original investigation. Penalties levied can be significant; $5,000 per violation and up.

Avoid's Worker Lawsuits

Workers can bring legal action claiming they were injured or are suffering an illness as a result of working in a facility where they were overexposed to air contaminants. The cost of defending these lawsuits can be significant. The best way to end such a lawsuit in a cost effective manner, or avoid it in the first place, is to have on file an indoor air quality sampling report documenting that your facility is in compliance. Unless you can show you were proactive in the matter, it is an up hill battle for you.

How is Indoor Air Quality Determined?

Sampling requirements are determined based on material used and the process employed. Air contamination levels and employee exposure are then determined by sampling per OSHA protocols. Indoor air quality sampling involves the drawing of a known volume of air through sampling media using calibrated air sampling devices. At the end of the sampling period, the sampling media are sealed and analyzed to determine concentration levels of the measured contaminants. These concentrations are then compared against OSHA’s PEL’s.

Personal Air Monitoring to determine
worker exposure to different pollutants
he is potentially exposed
to during the workshift

If you are interested in receiving a quote for an indoor air quality evaluation of your facility, please complete the other side of this page and fax it to (770) 263-8348, mail it, or feel free to call LeRoy Bishop, P.E. at (770) 263-6330. We welcome every opportunity to work with you.

Services Offered:

Design of Indoor Air Pollution Control Systems
Design of OSHA-Compliant Ventilation Systems
Determination of Worker Exposure
Indoor Air Quality Monitoring

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