Page 42 - OHS, October 2021

IH: INDOOR AIR QUALITY
The Path to Better Indoor Air Quality—Improved Monitoring for CO2,Ventilation and More
Getting back to workplaces goes beyond the simple reopening of buildings; it involves
solutions to provide appropriate air quality monitoring, ventilation and filtration.
WBY MARY FURTO
hether you have employees returning to in-person work or students going back to in-person learning, monitoring and maintaining indoor air quality (IAQ) is critical. More people are paying attention to
air quality in the spaces we use for work, school, entertainment and travel, and building owners are looking for ways to create cleaner air to instill occupant confidence.
According to a 2021 Honeywell survey,1 data shows that the COVID-19 pandemic will likely have a lasting impact on facility management and operations. Seventy-five percent of surveyed U.S. facility managers indicate that COVID-19 prompted their facility to rethink its modes of operation. COVID-19 is also driving facility managers to adjust their priorities and investments. For example, 62 percent are more likely to invest in indoor air quality optimization and other healthy building solutions than in pre-pandemic times. Getting back to workplaces, restaurants and schools goes beyond the simple reopening of buildings. It involves innovative solutions to provide appropriate air quality monitoring, ventilation and filtration.
The Importance of Good Air Quality
All over the United States, decision makers are taking steps to make evidence-based, long-term improvements to IAQ to help reassure people that they have taken steps to make their spaces
safer, not only to reopen public spaces responsibly, but also to keep them open.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies consistently show that indoor air pollution ranks among the top environmental risks to public health2 and indoor levels of pollutants may be two to five times higher than outdoor levels. As the colder fall and winter months are ahead of us and more people will rely on indoor gathering spaces rather than outdoor, it is important to look into ways to improve IAQ.
Types of Pollutants Found Indoors
According to the EPA,3 there are a wide range of pollutants found indoors, including:
■ Germs, viruses and airborne microbes ■ Dust and dander
■ Mold and mildew
■ Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Risks of Poor-Quality Indoor Air
The effects of poor IAQ in indoor settings is not a new phenomenon; the impact of COVID-19 brought it to the forefront. A recent study4 by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health shows that poor IAQ, coupled with high CO2 levels and low ventilation rates, may dull cognitive abilities making
38 Occupational Health & Safety | OCTOBER 2021
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