Indoor Air Quality Concern

Are individuals in your workplace complaining of chronic headache, fatigue, cold/allergy symptoms, dizziness, nausea or any number of other physical irritations? Before your organization incurs increasing costs related to health insurance, worker’s compensation claims, loss of productivity, and absenteeism, consider this: the source of these symptoms could be related to poor Indoor Air Quality.

Americans spend 90% of their time indoors… which means that exposure to indoor air pollution may pose a greater health concern than outdoor air pollution. Why? There is a growing body of scientific evidence that the air within buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities!

What causes poor Indoor Air Quality? Three major sources of indoor air pollution are 1) the presence of indoor air pollution sources, 2) poorly designed, maintained, or operated ventilation systems, and 3) uses of the building that were unanticipated or poorly planned when the building was originally designed or renovated. These factors alone, or a combination thereof, can create an uncomfortable, unhealthy, and ultimately unproductive work environment.

So, what do you do if you believe there might be a problem with the air quality in your workplace? The best place to begin is with a building investigation by a qualified IAQ Consultant. And what should you expect from that qualified consultant? First, a professional, reputable consultant will make an on-site visit to assess the situation before proposing a plan of action or sampling strategy. The next steps would be determined based on the site visit. For example, to determine the effectiveness of the Heating Ventilation and Air Condition (HVAC) system, which is often the source of trouble, the consultant might recommend further testing to measure levels of, for example, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, temperature, relative humidity. To assess the presence of organic compounds, or monitor airborne dust/particulates, other types of testing would be performed. The appropriate quantity, duration and type of sampling needed would be determined by the consultant.

Following the investigation and testing, you should expect and receive a professional, scientifically supported, yet easy to understand report with appropriate recommendations. It is critical that one exercises care in selecting the right consultant – there are many newcomers to this field because of the higher profile this issue has raised in recent years.

If you would like more information on IAQ, please contact Sterling & Associates, Inc. We have been performing high-quality IAQ inspections and testing since 1989 in California and beyond.

Trusted & Recommended for over 28 Years!