Page 13 - School Planning & Management, January/February 2019

What Causes Poor IAQ?
While there are a number of causes for poor IAQ, poorly functioning ventilation and air filtration equipment are primary contributors.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website (www. osha.gov) says inadequate IAQ stems from poor conditions related to temperature, hu- midity, mold from water damage, chemical exposure, and lack of sufficient outside air or poor ventilation.
Indoor remodeling and construction— especially combined with painting—can also adversely affect indoor air.
Consider the case of Fairgrounds Junior High School in Nashua, N.H. In 1996, Nashua’s health department—as well as the school’s faculty—cited several IAQ deficiencies in the school and required the district to remedy those problems.
The maintenance staff addressed those deficiencies by adjusting the school’s en- ergy management system. That, however, did not solve the problem.
In fact, the problem grew worse. Over the next several months, administrators, teach- ers, and students began to complain more and more vociferously about general discom- fort, inadequate temperature control, and odors. Some began to suffer from dizziness and tingling feelings in their extremities.
In their search for a solution, Fair- grounds’ school officials came across the EPA’s IAQ Tools for Schools program and Action Kit, which helped resolve the problem.
The EPA’s Action Kit includes a list of best practices and industry guidelines to maintain IAQ, sample IAQ policies, and a sample IAQ management plan. The Kit shows school officials and maintenance
teams how to implement a plan to improve indoor air problems at little or no cost, us- ing the school’s in-house staff.
12 Steps to Maintaining Good IAQ
In the commercial world, OSHA requires employers to provide a workplace “free from recognized hazards that may cause harm to employees.” That language covers IAQ, which if poor may cause em- ployees to become ill.
In addition, many states have set poli- cies promoting healthy school environ- ments. These policies usually include requirements related to IAQ.
So how can a school comply with these policies and maintain healthy indoor air quality? The EPA recommends the follow- ing 12 steps:
1. Start with an inspection of the school’s HVAC system.
2. Check out the building’s ventilation system. Is it functioning properly? Poor ventilation can set the stage for poor IAQ.
3. Inspect the maintenance facilities. Repair leaks and clean up spills—right away. Secure chemical products and other supplies.
4. Set a regular schedule for inspecting and changing HVAC filters throughout the facility.
5. Clean condensate pans and make sure they are draining properly.
6. Establish a regular cleaning schedule
for air supply diffusers, return regis-
ters, and outside air intakes.
7. Isolate outdoor air intakes—at ground
level and on the roof—from possible sources of pollutants, such as dump- sters, idling buses, plumbing vents, and kitchen exhaust fans.
8. Clean the ducts and the insides of air- handling units or unit ventilators.
9. Keep papers, trash, and other items away from unit ventilators.
10. Set the HVAC system to turn on and off in step with the building use schedule, including days, evenings, nights, and weekends.
11. Educate teachers and staff about the im- portance of keeping the HVAC system running to ensure proper classroom ventilation.
12. Make regular use of the EPA’s IAQ Tools for Schools resources to identify, cor- rect, and prevent IAQ problems.
Indoor air quality is a serious issue for schools today. Failing to attend adequately to IAQ issues can adversely affect the quality of teaching and learning. And that, of course, can adversely affect students’ futures.
In recent years, however, maintenance professionals have gained an ever bet-
ter understanding of how to manage and improve IAQ, enabling teachers to teach more effectively and students to learn more comprehensively. SPM
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 / SCHOOL PLANNING & MANAGEMENT 13
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