The specific causes of the symptoms are often not known but sometimes are attributed to the effects of a combination of substances or individual susceptibility to low concentrations of contaminants. Sick building syndrome is a condition associated with complaints of discomfort including headache nausea dizziness dermatitis eye, nose, throat, and respiratory irritation coughing difficulty concentrating sensitivity to odors muscle pain and fatigue. Acute Health Effects of Major Indoor Air ContaminantsĮmployee complaints can be due to two types of building problems: sick or tight building syndrome and building related illnesses. Sixty cubic feet per minute per person is recommended for smoking lounges with local mechanical exhaust ventilation and no air recirculation. The 62-1989 standard recommends a minimum of 15 CFM of outdoor air per person for offices (reception areas) and 20 CFM per person for general office space with a moderate amount of smoking. This standard has been incorporated into the building codes of many cities and states. 2ĪSHRAE amended this standard in 1975 to specify the minimum value of 5 cubic feet per minute (CFM) of outdoor air per person be used in building design. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) established recommended ventilation rates for indoor environments in 1973. Contamination from building fabric - 4%.Contamination from outside building - 10%.Contamination from inside building - 16%.In approximately 500 indoor air quality investigations in the last decade, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found that the primary sources of indoor air quality problems are: They include headache, dizziness, nausea, tiredness, lack of concentration, and eye, nose, and throat irritation. These symptoms often disappear when the employee leaves the workplace. Complaints are often of a subjective, nonspecific nature and are associated with periods of occupancy.The range of investigations of indoor air quality problems encompasses complaints from one or two employees to episodes where entire facilities are shut down and evacuated until the events are investigated and problems corrected.Appendix III:2-1 presents a brief discussion of these items. Often employee complaints result from items such as cigarette smoke, odors, low-level contaminants, poor air circulation, thermal gradients, humidity, job pressures, lighting, work-station design, or noise. Investigations of indoor air quality (IAQ) often fail to identify any harmful levels of specific toxic substances. However, energy conservation measures instituted during the early 1970's have minimized the infiltration of outside air and contributed to the buildup of indoor air contaminants. Modern office buildings are generally considered safe and healthful working environments. Investigating Office-Related ComplaintsĪppendix III:2-2. Acute Health Effects of Major Indoor Air ContaminantsĪppendix III:2-1.Industrial Robots and Robot System SafetyĮxcavations: Hazard Recognition in Trenching and ShoringĬontrolling Lead Exposures in the Construction Industry: Engineering and Work Practice Controls Oil Well Derrick Stability: Guywire Anchor Systems Legionnaire's Disease, see OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Page for updated information.Ĭontrolling Exposure to Hazardous Drugs, see OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Page for updated information. Polymer Matrix Materials: Advanced Composites Technical Equipment: On-site Measurements
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