Sick Building Syndrome related to VOCs

The VOCs released by mold can
make people sick, researcher says.

As a specialist in mold toxins, Joan Bennett didn’t believe in sick building syndrome.

Then Hurricane Katrina struck, Bennett’s home was flooded, and she evacuated.

A month later, she returned to the house to sample her home for mold. Her house smelled horrendous and even with protective gear, she felt awful – dizziness, headache, malaise. She walked outside and felt better.

Then it struck her: “I think there’s something in this terrible mold I’m smelling.”

But she still believed in her old arguments against the theory. She knew how much mold toxin we ordinarily get exposed to from mold in food, and she still knew that it was far greater than any we could breathe from spores in the air.

But the smell of mold was another matter. Most things we can smell are volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and some VOCs are known to make people sick.

“I knew that a minor theory was that sick building syndrome might be caused by the VOCs that make fungi smell moldy,” Bennett says.

And then she thought, “Maybe there is such a thing as sick building syndrome, and maybe it has nothing to do with the fungus toxins I’ve been studying all my life!”

That moment transformed her research career.

The Sniff Test

She focused on a VOC called “mushroom alcohol” that is the primary component of the typical smell of mold. It’s formed especially when molds eat linoleic acid, which occurs both in many biological cells and in building products like oil-based paint.

When fruit flies breathed in the mushroom alcohol, she found that they started moving strangely. They trembled, moved slowly, fell over, lacked coordination. They looked like insectile Parkinson’s patients.
Bennett knew that Parkinson’s could be caused by exposure to chemicals like pesticides. So could mushroom alcohol be doing the same thing? Could these fruit flies in fact have their own version of Parkinson’s?

To find out, Bennett and her collaborators gave the stricken flies L-dopa, a medication that reverses the effects of Parkinson’s in humans. And indeed, the flies moved more naturally, indicating that the mushroom alcohol was operating on a similar pathway.

It’s a long way from a fruit fly to a human, so Bennett and her team tested human cell lines as well. A human cell in a test tube can’t tremor with Parkinson’s disease, of course, but Bennett found that the mushroom alcohol was toxic to the cells, killing some of them off. She published her findings recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Thus, Bennett says, VOCs from mold may be an important contributor to Parkinson’s disease. It would explain a long-standing mystery:

Every known toxin that causes Parkinson’s is man-made and relatively recent, but Parkinson’s has existed for thousands of years. Bennett says that a variety of natural neurotoxins – mushroom alcohol as well as other VOCs – may lead to the disease.

Elliott Horner, an indoor air quality researcher at Atlanta-based company UL, says that he wasn’t surprised that a fungal VOC affects the physiological functioning of animals.

Moldy buildings, he says, have long been suspected to make people sick through VOCs as well as through mycotoxins, small particulates, and allergens. But he says that it’s a “huge step forward” to have an animal model that will allow researchers to study the impacts of these VOCs.

Source: Discover Magazine

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Poor IAQ affects Jamaican workers

Sick building syndrome is affecting
workers worldwide.

Scores of Jamaicans are getting sick at work because of the poor quality of the air inside the buildings.

Employees who have experienced symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, trouble concentrating, and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs at work could all be facing poor indoor air quality.

However, the Jamaica Occupational Health Professionals' Association (JOHPA) notes that this is not unique to Jamaica.

"A growing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air, even the largest and most industrialized cities," JOHPA said in a release last week.

"Other research indicates that people spend approximately 90 per cent of their time indoors. Thus, for many people, the risks to health may be greater due to exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors," added JOHPA.

Paradigm shift

It noted that as the world focuses on occupational health and safety, the paradigm is shifting towards air quality and the severe health effects that result from breathing poor-quality air.

"This begs the question: if the ambient air is polluted, what about the indoor environment?"

There are several factors that contribute to poor indoor air quality. These include inadequate ventilation, problems controlling temperature, too high or too low humidity, recent remodeling, and other activities in or near a building that can affect the adequacy and quality of fresh air into the building.

Contaminants such as dust from construction or renovation, mold, cleaning supplies, pesticides, or other airborne contaminants may also contribute to poor indoor air quality.

The issue is close to the heart of Opposition Senator Kavan Gayle, who heads the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU).

The BITU represents thousands of Jamaican workers.

Gayle has tabled questions in the Senate about the outstanding occupational safety legislation to amend the 73-year-old Factories Act.

He has also tabled a motion that the issue be debated and that the Government bring a bill to Parliament to enact new legislation.

According to Gayle, Jamaica must move quickly away from the 1940s Factories Act, "to a more comprehensive Occupational Safety and Health Act".

Justice Minister Mark Golding has said he expects the chief parliamentary counsel to deliver a draft of the Occupational Safety and Health Act to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security this week.

Gayle, meanwhile, said the OSHA should include equitable global health and safety standards, as Jamaica competes in a global environment.

'Allergies and sinusitis'

"You go into a building and the minute you enter you start coughing or sneezing. It means the air quality in that room is compromised, because of simple things, among them dirty air-conditioning ducts," argued Gayle.

He noted that the exposure to poor air quality in buildings could cause employees to develop "allergies and sinusitis".

The president general of the BITU suggested that employers could improve the quality of air inside a building by doing the simple things, such as removing a dirty carpet.

"Take up the carpet and you will see how health is improved," he said.

Gayle further argued that employees' health is compromised when a building is painted while they are at work, or a desk varnished a day before usage.

"Both employee and clients are exposed to the poisonous fumes," stated Gayle.

"What should be in place are the checks and balances to ensure that companies provide the proper working conditions for all workers, and to protect workers, for their own safety, in a way that goes outside of just checking a building," Gayle said.

Poisonous internal air quality and the effects on the health of employees over the long term will be the main focus of a JOHPA seminar this Wednesday.

This seminar will provide in-depth, up-to-date and relevant information and research on the present paradigm in building design operation and maintenance.

It will also focus on the alarming potential number of workers exposed to sick building syndrome (SBS), the economic impact of SBS for Jamaica, the spread of diseases in the working environment, and practical guidance for improving and maintaining the indoor environment.

Source: The Jamaica Gleaner

Concerned about the indoor air quality at your workplace? Remove airborne chemicals, particles, allergens, mold spores, odors, fumes and other contaminants with industrial and commercial air cleaners by Electrocorp. For more information, contact Electrocorp directly.

Toxic fumes affect unlikely companies

Chemical fumes exposure can lead
to headaches, nausea and shortness of breath

Indoor air quality has become increasingly important in the workplace as companies have come to understand how poor indoor ventilation can affect work performance.

Over the past two weeks, three American companies have been hit with various chemical scares leading to several employees falling sick. 

A contractor for the Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico cleaned the handrails in the caves one night.  When employees arrived at work the next day, the product’s fumes were still so powerful that employees fell ill, leading to the closure of the caves for two days. 

In Florida, a mortgage company had to evacuate its 12 employees from the offices after people started complaining of headaches and scratchy throats. The culprit? Cleaning products. A Tampa HAZMAT team determined that the chemicals for the cleaning products were mixed at too concentrated a level.

In Hawaii, a United States Postal Service employee was sent to the hospital after experiencing shortness of breath and nausea. He had handled a parcel which contained a chemical that had leaked through the box. Tests indicated the chemical is often used to make cleaning products. 

Source: The Associated Press, Fox 13, HawaiiNewsNow

Protecting your employees

Even companies that do not produce chemicals use them for regular cleaning. When dealing with closed spaces, it is particularly important to have good ventilation.  Putting your employees at risk leads to more work-related absenteeism and possible serious injury.

The first thing companies should invest in is a different selection of cleaning agents. Cleaning products are made with various chemicals, such as xylene, toluene and phenol and side effects can range from headaches to death. Using more green products will help avoid workplace chemical exposure.

Having an air cleaner in areas where chemicals are mixed or used is strongly suggested. For situations such as in the Carlsbad Caverns, an air cleaner should be left on overnight after chemical application. Office kitchens, where chemicals might be mixed, should also have an air cleaner to help mitigate chemical fumes as well as kitchen odors.  

The 5000 series is ideal for office spaces

Electrocorp’s 5000 series contains an 18 pound carbon filter, a medical-grade HEPA filter and its wheels make it easily maneuverable. Check out our air cleaners for offices for more details.

Would you like to speak to one of our IAQ experts? Call us toll free at 1-866-667-0297 or write us on our website.

Have you had a chemical scare at work? Share your stories with us!

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How sick building syndrome can affect workers (Video)

Sick building syndrome is a contemporary ailment related to the demand of energy-efficient buildings and unregulated ventilation standards.

Many office buildings, hospitals, schools, and other buildings can suffer from sick building syndrome - meaning the air inside is a toxic soup of chemicals, particles and possibly other contaminants such as mold, bacteria and viruses.



Want to know more about indoor air quality issues at the workplace and cost-effective solutions? Electrocorp offers complete air purification solutions with activated carbon, HEPA and optional UV germicidal air filters.  
Contact Electrocorp for more information and options.
   

Will new building codes lead to sick buildings?

Energy-efficient construction codes have to take indoor air
quality concerns into consideration.

This month, new building requirements came into effect in Ontario, Canada, prompting builders to question the effect they will have on the indoor air quality.

Anyone applying for a building permit for a new structure in Ontario must fulfill much stricter energy efficiency measures.

But more efficiency often means there is less air entering the home, and this may result in poor indoor air quality.

Poor IAQ has been linked to a wide range of health effects, less productivity and more absenteeism.

The new energy efficient homes need to have effective heat recovery ventilators that circulate the air in and out, builders say.

A heat recovery ventilator (HRV) consists of two separate air-handling systems – one collects and exhausts stale indoor air; the other draws in outdoor air and distributes it throughout the home.

Both the exhaust and outdoor air streams pass through the heat transfer module, and the heat from the exhaust air is used to pre-heat the outdoor air stream.

If the HRVs are unable to keep pace with the government’s stricter building codes, the buildings may be too airtight and could allow the buildup of indoor air pollutants, experts say.

Source: CBC News 

Manage IAQ properly in homes and buildings

Builders and planners need to take indoor air quality in consideration when they finalize their projects.

In many cases, IAQ suffers when buildings are too airtight. One solution is to incorporate an air filtration system into the plan.

Electrocorp offers HVAC-compatible as well as portable industrial-strength air cleaners with a multistage filtration system containing activated carbon and HEPA that can remove the widest range of indoor air pollutants.

The deep-bed activated carbon filter remove chemicals, gases, odors and fumes, while HEPA filters trap airborne particles and dust. Optional UV germicidal filtration helps neutralize pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and molds.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and options.
 

Sick buildings star in architecture exhibition

Many contemporary buildings suffer
from poor indoor air quality.

A new exhibition at the Canadian Centre of Architecture (CCA) in Montreal steps inside the contemporary urban environment to examine what is wrong with modern buildings.

Entitled Imperfect Health: The Medicalization of Architecture, the exhibition looks at how architecture is addressing common public concerns such as pollution, food safety, allergies, smog, asthma, cancer, obesity, epidemics and aging.

Indoor air quality has become a major factor for architects designing buildings and landscapes, who are taking steps to reduce allergens and provide cleaner air.

Exhibition looks at past mistakes

Part of the exhibition looks back at previous attempts of architects trying to improve living conditions with building design.

One such example is asbestos, the once widely used flame retardant material that has been identified as a major health threat and carcinogen.

Previous visions of having airtight buildings protecting inhabitants from outside air pollution has the opposite effect, resulting in accumulations of indoor air contaminants like allergens, chemicals, mold and bacteria and coining the term “sick building.”

New designs, new ideas

High-rise buildings rely on elevators and escalators, but new designs like the one at Cooper Union in New York promote activity and energy savings by offering wide staircases and not letting elevators stop before the fifth floor.

Other new ideas are the use of hypoallergenic plants in neighborhood parks, “breathing” buildings.
For more information, visit cca.qc.ca.

Source: Montreal Gazette

Improve indoor air quality with versatile air cleaners

Electrocorp's I-6500:
An air cleaner that delivers.

Better indoor air quality (IAQ) has been linked to more productivity, less absenteeism and improved well-being of the occupants.

Electrocorp has designed industrial-strength air cleaners for a wide range of applications, including facility management, offices and office printers, asbestos and mold remediation and environmental consulting, among many others.

The air cleaners are stand-alone or HVAC-compatible and they feature a multistage filtration system with activated carbon, HEPA and UV to remove the widest range of pollutants possible.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and the best option for your IAQ concern.

Asbestos concerns in Northampton County buildings

Poor indoor air quality in
buildings can be a problem.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched an investigation to determine if complaints about asbestos in several Northampton County buildings are justified, according to a recent article in the Express-Times.

After receiving numerous tips and perceiving a growing concern about the indoor air quality in public buildings, EPA is preparing a report and may issue a number of fines.

Asbestos is a “public safety concern,” one of the agency’s experts says.

The buildings in question include a nursing home and the courthouse, among others.

Dangers of asbestos exposure

Asbestos fibers are too small to be seen with the naked eye, but they can be inhaled deep into the lungs, where they can damage lung tissue and cause scar tissue to form. The result is a disease called asbestosis.

People can be exposed to asbestos when they are n an area containing airborne asbestos fibers, after material containing the asbestos is drilled, cut, abraded, sanded, chipped, or sawed during a renovation, for example.

Indoor air pollutants and worker health and safety

"Sick" buildings with poor indoor air quality can expose workers and employees to airborne chemicals, VOCs, particles, dust, allergens, bacteria, viruses, mold spores, mold mycotoxins, fumes and vapors.

Ventilation systems are often unable to supply an adequate amount of fresh air to occupants.

Electrocorp offers industrial air cleaners for facility management, offices, mold and asbestos abatement and many other industrial and commercial applications.

The air cleaners contain a complete, multistage filtration system with activated carbon and HEPA to remove a wide range of indoor air pollutants.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and product recommendations.
  

Facility management and chemical toxins

Toxic compounds lurk in older and newer
buildings and may affect people's health.

People are spending so much time indoors – either at work or at home – that they have become more and more concerned about the substances and chemicals that may affect their health and well-being.

Big office complexes and small commercial spaces alike harbor a huge number of chemical toxins that can be inhaled or ingested. 

Many of these indoor air chemicals have been linked to serious health conditions such as cancer, respiratory diseases, birth defects and chronic illnesses.

Whether you talk about Sick Building Syndrome or the dangers of poor indoor air quality, one factor remains the same – in order to protect workers and occupants of commercial and institutional buildings, facility managers must know about the dangers and face them head on.

Here are some tips for facility managers:
  

• Make IAQ a priority in facility management: Poor IAQ does not only affect the health and well-being of workers, it can also affect productivity, absenteeism rates and morale
    
• Educate yourself and other about the harmful effects of indoor air pollutants:
  - VOCs (volatile organic compounds)
  - Green building constructions and renovations and safe materials
  - Chemical products (such as harsh cleaning agents) and how to replace them with safer alternatives
    
• Know the history of the building and the materials that were used: Materials that went into walls, insulation, ductwork and mechanical systems for decades might have contained chemical compounds that are now considered dangerous. As a result, many chemicals are in the DNA of buildings
    
• Regularly check the ventilation system. In many older buildings, the ventilation system may not be enough to provide fresh air to occupants. Rather than undertaking costly renovations, an industrial air cleaner for offices and facility management provides a highly effective and versatile air cleaning solution

RAP air cleaner
from Electrocorp

Electrocorp offers portable as well as HVAC-compatible air cleaners for commercial and industrial applications, which remove a wide range of indoor air contaminants, including chemicals, odors, gases, fumes, particles, bacteria, viruses and mold mycotoxins and mold spores.

The units feature the most relevant filtration media, the largest adsorbent surface areas and the most customizable options in the industry.

The multistage filtration system in Electrocorp air cleaners contains

• Granular activated carbon
• HEPA
• UV germicidal filtration (optional)
• Pre-filters

Contact Electrocorp for more information: 1-866-667-0297.
 

Occupational health and safety issues: Asthma in the workplace

Asthma is on the rise in North America -
and IAQ at the workplace may play a role.

Occupational asthma is an issue in some workplaces, and it has been linked to poor indoor air quality.

Indoor air pollution is one of the main factors for Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), a health issue that has been recognized by the World Health Organisation (WHO) more than 20 years ago.

SBS can be caused by many factors, including poor lighting, improperly maintained HVAC systems, building materials etc.

It is estimated that in some countries up to 30 percent of all offices, hotels, instiotutions and industrial sites suffer from SBS. One manifestation of SBS is occupational asthma, which makes up around 15 percent of all adult-onset asthma cases in the developed world.

Putting that in context, occupational asthma is the most common, work-related lung disease in developed countries and is caused by occupational exposure to airborne substances known as asthmagens. Over 200 respiratory sensitizers already have been classified and others are being identified all the time.

Across the world, the incidence of asthma is on the increase as more people adopt western lifestyles and become exposed to greater numbers of asthmagens.

Internationally, there are an estimated 300 million asthma sufferers and, according to WHO, some 250,000 people died from asthma worldwide in 2005 alone.

The number of diagnosed asthma and asthma symptoms has been growing steadily over recent decades.

The most important risk factors for developing asthma are a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental exposure to inhaled substances and particles that may provoke allergic reactions or irritate the airways.

These substances can be everything from pollen and dust mites to animal dander and chemicals released by adhesives. Miniscule dust particles settle in the lungs, and the smallest particles can end up in the bloodstream, with potentially serious consequences.

Early detection is important in occupational asthma, because people spend so much time at work. One estimate suggests that a person in a full-time office job will spend up to 1,800 hours a year in their office.

Employers, facility managers and health and safety officer should keep the following points in mind to develop the best prevention and control strategies:

1. Conduct a workplace assessment to identify potential asthmagens
2. Make changes to improve IAQ: For example, installing a better ventilation system or placing dangerous chemicals in a fume cupboard. 
3. Make sure the building is cleaned regularly to control dust and particles, while avoiding harsh cleaning chemicals
4. Ban indoor smoking, perfumes and air fresheners
5. Speak to employees about IAQ, occupational asthma and what to do if someone suffers an asthma attack at the workplace

Source: Environmental Health and Safety Today


Improve IAQ at the workplace with industrial air cleaners

The numerical series and AirMedic
Series for smaller offices.

Even with source control and good ventilation, the indoor air quality at the workplace may suffer due to off-gassing materials (building materials, paint, electronic devices, large format printers).

Electrocorp has designed high-quality industrial air cleaners to help improve the indoor air quality in offices, large and small buildings, plants and workshops.

The air cleaners from Electrocorp are equipped with a multi-stage filtration system to effectively remove a wide range of indoor air pollutants by adsorbing chemicals, gases and odors in a deep bed of granular activated carbon, trapping particles and pathogens in a HEPA or Super-HEPA filter and by offering the choice of UV germicidal filtration, which helps neutralize live contaminants such as bacteria, viruses, mold spores and mold mycotoxins.

Electrocorp's I-6500 Series removes
airborne chemicals and particles.

With a complete line of products for small and large spaces, different carbon blends and filter materials depending on need and other features and customizable options, Electrocorp is sure to provide you with a cost-effective and reliable air cleaning solution.

Contact us for more information.






See also:

• Researchers focus on IAQ for better quality of life
• Green buildings can contribute to poor IAQ: Report
• Simple steps to improve indoor air quality at the workplace
• Boost productivity with green cleaning practices
• Prevent and control mold growth in commercial settings

  

IAQ in commercial and institutional buildings

Commercial buildings need work
to maintain good IAQ.

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) just released the “Indoor Air Quality in Commercial and Institutional Buildings” booklet.

This guidance document provides practical recommendations that aim to prevent or minimize IAQ problems in commercial and institutional buildings, and help resolve such problems quickly if they do arise.

The document guides to employers to help keep their buildings free of pollutants and conditions that lead to poor IAQ.

It also provides information on good IAQ management, including control of airborne pollutants, introduction and distribution of adequate make-up air, and maintenance of an acceptable temperature and humidity.

The booklet is available on the OSHA website - http://www.osha.gov/Publications/3430indoor-air-quality-sm.pdf

More details to come soon.

Green buildings can contribute to poor IAQ: Report

A new Institute of Medicine report says that the recent green building boom may have a negative impact on the average new construction's indoor air quality.

Untested new materials, airtight construction for energy efficiency and other building retrofits could either limit or alter the air flow inside buildings and it could lead to the accumulation of indoor air pollutants such as chemical emissions. Prolonged exposure may cause Sick Building Syndrome and other health effects.

Among the problems outlined in the report were indoor dampness which can lead to active mold growth, poor ventilation, excessive temperatures and emissions from building materials and equipment such as improperly placed back-up power generators.

Government agencies and other organizations are developing and promoting protocols to evaluate emissions from furnishings, building materials, and appliances, but more needs to be done to make prevention of health problems a priority, the report says.

"America is in the midst of a large experiment in which weatherization efforts, retrofits, and other initiatives that affect air exchange between the indoor and outdoor environments are taking place and new building materials and consumer products are being introduced indoors with relatively little consideration as to how they might affect the health of occupants," said committee chair John D. Spengler, from the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston.

"An upfront investment to consider the consequences of these actions before they play out and to avoid problems where they can be anticipated will yield benefits in health and in averted costs of medical care, remediation, and lost productivity."

The report calls for updated building codes and standards for ventilation as well as regular testing.

Worried about IAQ, lost productivity and employee health and safety?

Electrocorp designs portable and HVAC-compatible air filtration systems to improve indoor air quality in office buildings, schools and universities, bars and restaurants and any buildings or businesses where odors, chemicals and particles are a concern.

Contact one of Electrocorp’s air quality experts to find out more about the most complete air cleaners with large activated carbon plus HEPA filters for commercial and industrial uses.
   

Water infiltration -- bad news for buildings

Water infiltration can lead to mold problems
and sick building syndrome.

For anyone owning, managing or occupying a building or house, water leaks and water infiltration can become big problems.

Not only can extreme moisture lead to active mold growth after only 24 to 48 hours, the source of the water problem is often very difficult to find.

As Canadian building and renovations specialist and TV series host Mike Holmes explained in a recent column, there are many ways water can sneak past a building’s defenses.

Most people connect water infiltration with a leaking roof and will call a roofer right away, but Holmes points out that in many cases, the problem has nothing at all to do with the roof.

Common causes for water infiltration in a home or building:

• The obvious causes: a hole in the roof or a crack in the foundation or caulking
• Damp spots can be caused by water vapor entering through the exterior walls, if there is a break in the house wrap and water barrier
• Water infiltration through permeable materials like wood or concrete
• Condensation from inside the home or building disguising itself as a leak
• Leak in the chimney flashing

Some of the entry points of the water can far away from where the water leak actually shows up.

How to deal with mysterious damp spots:

1. Start with a good roofer. Water makes its way from top to bottom, and so should you.
2. Use common sense. If the water damage appears underneath a window, it is likely because of the window.
3. Identify the building’s vulnerable points. Materials wear out, dry out or crumble over time. Inspect the roof, the flashing where the chimney or soffits meet the roof or where different types of exterior sheathing meet, the chimney, the caulking around windows and doors.
4. Enlist the help of a building inspector with a thermographic camera, which can be used to trace the water path and identify the source.

Source: “Water isn’t always the result of a roof leak” by Mike Holmes, Making it Right

Indoor air quality in buildings with water intrusion

Many buildings suffer from mold if water intrusion has occurred. Mold produces mold spores, which in turn contain mycotoxins that can be harmful to human health. People who react to mold can experience symptoms like nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, skin irritation and even fever and lung infections.

Besides finding the source of the water intrusion, dehumidifying the air and ensure adequate ventilation, an air filtration system with activated carbon + HEPA can improve the indoor air quality immensely by removing airborne chemicals, vapors, particles, mold spores and mycotoxins.

Electrocorp has designed air filtration systems for large buildings (facility management), mold and asbestos abatement, construction and renovation projects as well as for Home and Office use (sold under the AllerAir brand).

Contact one of our air quality experts for more information.


Related Posts:

• Clean-up tips for flood-related mold
• Flood waters: Mold growth and serious IAQ concerns
• The damaging effects of mold in libraries and archives
• Mold wreaks havoc on materials stored in evidence rooms
• Prevent and control mold growth in commercial settings
• The mold factor: Mold issues, health effects and cleanup

Clean-up tips for flood-related mold

Mold removal may be necessary
after a flood.

The American Society of Safety Engineers’ (ASSE) warns that mold grows easily in flood-related conditions, which include standing water, humid air and wet surfaces.

      The longer these conditions remain, as in the current flooding in the South and the Midwest, the more the mold growth can spread. To address this, ASSE offers the following tips for people to consider when looking at how to clean up mold and minimize its adverse effects.

      Be prepared for the worst case scenario

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that ‘surfaces wet longer than 48 hours with “clean water” should be considered as potentially contaminated, and any surfaces in contact with “dirty water” should be considered contaminated’.
Be aware of local laws and regulations in your area concerning mold, and ask local experts for guidance.

 

      Take steps to protect your business or store from mold growth
In addition, to lessen the chances of a mold colony growing in a store/business, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that 1) the humidity level be kept below 50 percent; 2) an air conditioner or dehumidifier be used during humid months (depending on the climate); 3) adequate ventilation, including exhaust fans, in the kitchen and bathrooms, be used; 4) to add mold inhibitors to paints before applying them; 5) bathrooms be cleaned with mold-killing products; and, 6) not to put carpeting in bathrooms, basements, or other areas where moisture or water could be a concern.
 

      
Learn how to recognize mold and be aware of the health risks
Mold, ASSE members note, is a group of microscopic fungi, which also includes mildew and other organisms that rot materials on which they grow. Molds can often be invisible to the eye. A blotch of black, gray, white, red, orange, yellow, blue or violet fuzzy or slimy growth is usually the result of widespread mold growth. Besides infection and allergic reactions, excessive mold growth indoors can result in offensive, musty odors from the gases released by certain molds as they grow and die.

      
Clean up the mold
ASSE offers the following tips for cleaning a facility/building area affected by mold:

• Avoid direct contact with affected mold areas as much as possible.
• If it can be thrown away, throw it away. Replacements may be less expensive in the long term (and short term) than attempting to decontaminate some surfaces.
• If it cannot be disposed of, decontaminate and then dry as thoroughly as possible. Moisture removal is a key factor to preventing future growth.
• Wallboard can often be cut to the point of contamination and replaced with new sections.
• Clean all tools after use, or dispose if possible, and also clean tools after each shift.
• When in doubt about the structural integrity of a facility, obtain an evaluation by a licensed and qualified builder or structural engineer before entering. Medical clearance may also be necessary based upon the severity of mold in the area.
• Individuals involved in mold remediation should be aware that attempts to mix chemicals to clean surfaces can cause further damage, such as the toxic gases that can be released when ammonia and bleach are mixed. Workers need to exercise caution, so as not to create additional hazards. The power supply (circuit breakers) should be turned off in the specific damaged areas/ high levels of moisture to avoid electrical shock hazards.

Source: Cherokeean Herald

Concerned about mold in your building? 

 Electrocorp offers a range of indoor air purification units for mold and asbestos abatement projects to help keep workers and occupants safe during cleanup and to control mold in the future.

Contact us to find out more.
   

Asthma rates keep rising, CDC says

Asthma rates are rising, health
officials warn.

It's a development that is difficult to explain - even though outdoor air quality has been improved, there are more and more people being diagnosed with asthma, and the costs associated with treatments are staggering.

One of the reasons could be poor indoor air quality. The triggers that can cause an asthma attack can be found at work, in school and in most indoor environments we frequent, cautions a recent article from Occupational Health & Safety Online.

Asthma rates rising in the US

People diagnosed with asthma in the United States grew by 4.3 million between 2001 and 2009, according to a new Vital Signs report released recently by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In 2009, nearly 1 in 12 Americans were diagnosed with asthma. In addition to increased diagnoses, asthma costs grew from about $53 billion in 2002 to about $56 billion in 2007, about a 6 percent increase. The explanation for the growth in asthma rates is unknown.

Asthma is a lifelong disease that causes wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing, though people with asthma can control symptoms and prevent asthma attacks by avoiding things that can set off an asthma attack, and correctly using prescribed medicine, like inhaled corticosteroids. The report highlights the benefits of essential asthma education and services that reduce the impact of these triggers, but most often these benefits are not covered by health insurers.

"Despite the fact that outdoor air quality has improved, we've reduced two common asthma triggers—secondhand smoke and smoking in general—asthma is increasing," said Paul Garbe, D.V.M., M.P.H, chief of CDC's Air Pollution and Respiratory Health Branch. "While we don't know the cause of the increase, our top priority is getting people to manage their symptoms better."

Asthma triggers at work, in school, indoors and outdoors

Asthma triggers are usually environmental and can be found at school, work, home, outdoors, and elsewhere and can include tobacco smoke, mold, outdoor air pollution, and infections linked to influenza, cold-like symptoms, and other viruses.

Asthma diagnoses increased among all demographic groups between 2001 and 2009, though a higher percentage of children reported having asthma than adults (9.6 percent compared to 7.7 percent in 2009).

Diagnoses were especially high among boys (11.3 percent). The greatest rise in asthma rates was among black children (almost a 50 percent increase) from 2001 through 2009. Seventeen percent of non-Hispanic black children had asthma in 2009, the highest rate among racial/ethnic groups.

Annual asthma costs in the United States were $3,300 per person with asthma from 2002 to 2007 in medical expenses. About 2 in 5 uninsured and 1 in 9 insured people with asthma could not afford their prescription medication.

"Asthma is a serious, lifelong disease that unfortunately kills thousands of people each year and adds billions to our nation's health care costs," said CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. "We have to do a better job educating people about managing their symptoms and how to correctly use medicines to control asthma so they can live longer more productive lives while saving health care costs."

How to manage asthma attacks

In an effort to reduce asthma attacks and the human and economic costs of asthma, CDC recommends:

• Improving indoor air quality for people with asthma through measures such as smoke-free air laws and policies, healthy schools, and workplaces.
• Teach patients how to avoid asthma triggers such as tobacco smoke, mold, pet dander, and outdoor air pollution.
• Encouraging clinicians to prescribe inhaled corticosteroids for all patients with persistent asthma and to use a written asthma action plan to teach patients how manage their symptoms.
• Promoting measures that prevent asthma attacks such as increasing access to corticosteroids and other prescribed medicines.
• Encourage home environmental assessments and educational sessions conducted by clinicians, health educators, and other health professionals both within and outside of the clinical setting.

Source: Occupational Health & Safety Online


Improve IAQ at the workplace with powerful air cleaners

One of the many ways people can improve the indoor air quality in their buildings or workplaces involves a powerful air filtration system with deep-bed activated carbon and HEPA filtration technologies that provides the safest, most complete and most effective solution for the removal of airborne toxins, chemicals, particles and other irritants.

Electrocorp has designed a range of industrial-strength air filtration systems for various commercial and industrial applications, including

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• Law enforcement
• Home and office air cleaning (AllerAir air purifiers)

Contact one of our air quality experts to find the right air cleaning solution for your needs.

 

EPA’s goals to curb coal plant pollution – will they improve air quality?

Air pollution - a valid concern
outdoors and indoors.

Air pollution has always been a hot topic -- especially for people living close to industrial complexes and in urban environments -- and if the turnout at a recent public comment session is anything to go by, then it will be an important issue for many years to come.

Several hundred people came together in Philadelphia last week to share their expertise, opinions, experiences and concerns about coal plant pollution in a meeting with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The people who testified included environmentalists, physicians, mothers and fishermen, among others. Worried about emissions of mercury, arsenic, nickel, chromium and acid gases, they urged EPA to update the standards that limit the amount of air pollution that coal-fired plants can release into the atmosphere.

Mercury, for example, builds up in ocean and freshwater fish and can be highly toxic for people who eat them.

"Young children are uniquely vulnerable to the toxic effects of environmental poisons such as mercury and arsenic," said Dr. Kevin Osterhoudt, medical director of the poison control center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, in an article  from AP. "These compounds are especially dangerous to the developing brain and nervous system."

Opponents to new standards argue that the costs would force some plants to shut down and electricity prices to rise.

According to the article, the regulations would require power plants to install technologies that would limit the emissions, resulting in what the EPA said would be a 91 percent reduction of the mercury in burned coal from being released into the air.

The rules would also further limit other pollutants, including particles such as dust, dirt and other fragments associated with a variety of respiratory ailments.

EPA researchers estimate that the proposed emission limits would annually prevent up to 17,000 premature deaths, 11,000 nonfatal heart attacks, 12,200 hospital and emergency room visits and 120,000 asthma attacks. The updated standards would give coal-fired facilities up to four years to reach compliance.

If you are concerned about this subject, you can voice your opinion in writing. The EPA will accept written comments from the public until July 5.

Source: Associated Press

 
Take control of your indoor air quality

Electrocorp's RAP Series

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Loss or reduced sense of smell a common problem

Many people don't realize they are losing their
ability to smell because it's a gradual process.

Most patients who have a reduced ability to smell or detect odors seem to attach less importance to the sense of smell in their daily lives than people with a normal olfactory function, according to a report in the April 2011 issue of Archives of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

"Disorders of the sense of smell are common," the authors provide as background information in the article.

"In the general population, hyposmia [reduced ability to smell] varies from 13 percent to 18 percent and anosmia (total loss of olfactory function) from 4 percent to 6 percent. The main causes of olfactory disorders are viral infections, head trauma, sinonasal disease, and neurodegenerative diseases."

Most cases of reduced or loss of the sense of smell seem to be associated with aging, according to the authors. They suggest that many patients do not seek medical help for these disorders because they either do not notice the impairment because they do not use the sense or because it develops so gradually that they find ways to cope and adjust.

People with such disorders often complain about difficulties cooking, a lack of appetite and low interest in eating. However, reduced ability to detect odors also can pose an increased risk of hazardous events.

"Approximately 17 percent to 30 percent of patients with olfactory disorders report a decreased quality of life, including symptoms of depression."

Ilona Croy, M.D., and colleagues from the University of Dresden Medical School, Dresden, Germany, evaluated data from 470 individuals (235 patients with a reduced or no sense of smell and 235 individuals with a normal sense of smell) to compare the importance of olfaction in daily life.

The study participants completed the Individual Importance of Olfaction Questionnaire (IO) and olfactory testing using the "Sniffin' Sticks" test kit.

The questionnaire included items to reflect emotions, memories and evaluations that are triggered by the sense of smell; how much a person uses his or her sense of smell in daily life; and how many people use their sense of smell for decision making.

The "Sniffin' Sticks" test kit consists of pen-like odor dispensers that were placed close to the participant's nostrils for a few seconds to assess odor identification ability.

"The main result of the present study is that patients with olfactory disorders rate the importance attached to their olfactory sense to be lower in general and also in all the investigated subscales compared with healthy normosmic subjects," the authors report.

"…Although they might not be aware, [they] seem to adjust to their olfactory constraints. Their sense of smell seems to be of less importance to them in daily life when it is reduced. So they report fewer olfactory-triggered emotions and memories, which seems reasonable because patients with olfactory disease experience fewer olfactory triggers. In accord, they also report to use their sense of smell less and to rely less on this sense in decision making."

"In conclusion, most patients attach less importance to their current sense of smell in daily life than do normosmic individuals and adjust to their reduced olfactory function. This behavior might be an example of regaining psychological health despite acquired and long-lasting impairments," the authors write.

Source: JAMA and Archives Journals

The damaging effects of mold in libraries and archives

Valuable books and collections
can be destroyed by mold.

Mold is a serious issue for people as well as for materials and documents – as the archives staff at Emporia State University in Kansas recently found out.

In a detailed three-part series, The Bulletin’s editor in chief Kelsey Ryan explained how employees at ESU’s archives have struggled with this serious indoor air quality concern.

The Anderson Library building, which houses a portion of Emporia State’s historical archives and historical collections, has a major mold problem. The university’s archivist first discovered active mold bloom in September 2009 and subsequently found mold on more than 300 records, papers, photographs and books in the rare collections.

The Anderson building stores the majority of ESU’s archives, including over a hundred years’ worth of historical photographs, academic journals, archived issues of The Bulletin and bound issues of The Sunflower, ESU’s yearbook.

Some of these documents are in jeopardy because of alleged moisture and humidity problems in the building due to roof leaks, inadequate HVAC, high humidity levels and poor building maintenance.

The personnel have been asked to take care of the problem in-house, even though a better and quicker option would be to outsource the job to mold remediation professionals.

Mold can create health problems

The archive employees were hesitant to give details, but they spoke in general terms about their worries regarding their health.

Mold can affect human health, depending on the type of mold and exposure. According to EPA, all molds have the potential to cause health effects because they produce allergens, irritants and in some cases toxins.

Building occupants may begin to report odors and a variety of health problems, such as headaches, breathing difficulties, skin irritation, allergic reactions, and aggravation of asthma symptoms; all of these symptoms could potentially be associated with mold exposure.

There are no regulatory guidelines or regulatory issues on mold at this point by Environmental Protection Agency or Occupational Safety and Health Administration, according to the director of the university facilities, but the workers were given personal protective equipment if they wanted it.

A lengthy process

In order to properly clean the documents and get the mold spores off of them, items that have mold on them must be separated from others and dried out. Once the mold is flakey, it can be vacuumed using a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner.

The archives staff keeps a clean room within William Allen White Library where they clean documents before they are stored into compact shelving.

The university has considered selling the building, but finding a buyer may be difficult since the building requires extensive renovations and maintenance. This, even though the university spent $250,000 to fix Anderson Library in the last six years, on things like the new heating system, roofs, gutters, pointing, maintaining and dehumidifiers.

The building has been plagued by mold, water intrusion and mice.

Source: Emporia Gazette

Manage mold problems with air cleaners

Source control and remediation is important when it comes to mold problems. But for a complete mold solution, to avoid health and safety complaints and enhance the protection of valuable documents and materials threatened by mold, the indoor air quality of the building needs to be improved and protected.

Electrocorp has designed air filtration systems for

• Libraries and archives
• Facility management
• Mold and asbestos remediation

Contact us for more information.

Related posts:

• Prevent and control mold growth in commercial settings
• The mold factor - mold issues, health effects and cleanup
• Indoor air concerns in the healthcare industry
• Poor IAQ linked to half of illnesses worldwide

Pre-fab homes can be earth-friendly

Modular homes don't have
to be cheap and boring.

When you think of your dream home, would you think of a prefab house?

Probably not. After a brief heyday of kit homes offered by Sears, Roebuck and Co. and other vendors in the early 1900s, most people would agree that factory-built houses — also called prefab or modular homes — went cheap and boring.

Most were little more than self-contained cartons for shelter, and their humdrum looks involved a lot of plastics, formaldehyde-gassing wood panels and other non-eco-friendly features.

Now that “green” materials, sustainability and customized design are among the new buzzwords of home construction, prefab homes would seem to be more outdated than ever – but it turns out that they can meet these requirements.

Good design decisions are the foundation for a “green” home, and the environmental benefits of doing most of the actual fabrication in a controlled indoor space far outweigh the virtues of on-site construction.

While there are many variations on the theme of a “green” home, some core tenets always apply, including

• Responsible use of materials and natural resources,
• Low energy consumption,
• First-rate indoor air quality and
• Good site stewardship (especially soil and water management).

According to Michelle Kaufman, author of the book “Prefab Green”, it’s best to design a home around five key “eco-principles”:

• Smart design: Use common sense. Keep the size modest and plan/allow multiple uses for spaces. Choose a site placement that lets you manage the sunlight, prevailing winds, water issues and so on. And always keep technological features accessible so you can upgrade or adapt to new technologies later.
• Eco-materials: Of course, renewable or recycled materials score big points here. Consider a product’s complete life cycle — where it originated, how it was processed and transported, how durable it is, what maintenance requirements are and what happens to it when it wears out or needs replacement.
• Energy efficiency: Since the 1970s, energy use issues have been front and center in residential design. Now, recent developments such as nontoxic foam insulation and advanced window glazing can create an efficient “envelope” that reduces energy consumption. Also, good natural ventilation reduces the need for air conditioning.
• Water conservation: While we often take it for granted, clean healthy water is at the heart of any ecosystem. A home’s design should encourage wise use and re-use, whether through low-flow plumbing fixtures or a system to catch and use rainwater.
• Healthy indoor environment: Indoor air that is clean of toxins or carcinogens is another critical component in a healthy home. Avoid the use of paints and solvents containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and don’t install engineered wood products or carpeting made with urea-formaldehyde resins, which can off-gas for months and contaminate the air.

Source: Bill Lahay, Universal Press

Electrocorp has designed air filtration systems with activated carbon and HEPA filters that can be used before, during and after construction and renovations to minimize exposure to toxic airborne pollutants. For residential and office air purifiers, have a look at the wide range of products offered by AllerAir Industries.

Asbestos slows down plans to remove PCBs from schools

Indoor air in schools can be contaminated
with PCBs and asbestos.

In a previous blog posting about PCBS and bad indoor air quality in schools we covered the issue of contaminated light fixtures in schools.

Tests in New York City schools had revealed that old lighting ballasts -- devices that regulate electric current for fluorescent lights -- leaked PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) onto the light fixtures and floors.

PCBs are toxic chemical compounds that have been linked to cancer. EPA issued recommendations in December urging schools across the country to replace all of the old light fixtures as soon as possible.

But it turns out that PCBs are not the only problem. NYC’s Department of Education said in a recent article that the hundreds of thousands of lighting fixtures it plans to replace in the city's schools because they contain PCBs are also contaminated with asbestos.

Deputy Chancellor Kathleen Grimm told a City Council committee hearing that inspectors found asbestos that was used to insulate the problematic fixtures while examining them for signs of leaking PCBs. "Asbestos comes with its own special rules and containment procedures," said Grimm of the cancer-causing material.

"Asbestos comes with its own special rules and containment procedures."
— Deputy Chancellor Kathleen Grimm

She said it can only be removed on weekends and holidays, not evenings "because we have to actually contain the area, and make sure that we're removing it properly and disposing of it properly."

This new problem will slow down the “quick action plan” that was sought to replace the PCB-leaking lighting fixtures. In fact, Grimm said it will take the city up to 10 years to remove and replace all of the lighting fixtures with PCBs from the public schools. Almost 800 schools have contaminated lighting fixtures.

The city has estimated its 10-year plan will cost $850 million. Quinn suggested that contractors might be able to do the job for less money as they make the city's lighting and heating fixtures more energy efficient.

Grimm told council members that companies will be invited to submit their bids after a Request for Proposals is issued in June. But she repeated that the EPA is "underestimating the complexity of performing work of this type in school buildings."

The group New York Communities for Change filed notice that it intends to sue under the federal toxic substances control act if the city doesn't update its PCB removal plans.

The group also wants teachers and other union members to be more involved in the process, said Miranda Massie of New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, who's representing the group.

Source: WNYC

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Boost productivity with green cleaning practices

Reduce your exposure to chemicals
by using natural cleaning products.

According to a recent article, several studies on indoor air quality demonstrate a connection between green cleaning and productivity.

Green cleaning, which means using cleaning products with natural ingredients and low (or zero) chemical count, has been shown to reduce absenteeism and boosting worker and student productivity. Many commercially used cleaners emit toxic fumes, which can lead to headaches or asthma-like symptoms as well as rashes from exposure to cleaners.

Natural ingredients ensure that workers and students are healthy enough to spend more time at work and in school.


Better air means improved work performance

According to data gathered by researchers at the California-based Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Indoor Air Quality Scientific Findings Resource Bank, “Work performance may be improved from a few percent to possibly as much as 10 percent by providing superior indoor environmental quality (IEQ). The economic benefits of the work performance improvements will often far outweigh the costs of providing better IEQ.”

Better IEQ is linked to well-ventilated air at the right temperature (around 70 degrees), free from mold, dust and other allergens, with no chemical fumes or particles to cause headaches or other ailments.

When employers at a workplace or school make an effort to create this environment, morale goes up – and, therefore, productivity. On the other hand, when the indoor air quality is uncomfortable and filled with toxic fumes, it may cost the nation tens of billions of dollars annually in lost productivity and medical care, according to estimates by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Statistics cut across both schools and workplaces. For example, poor indoor air quality in school buildings has led to an increased diagnosis of asthma in children, whose bodies are still developing. Asthma attacks are one of the top reasons children are absent from school, according to several educational studies.

But teachers and other school workers also become ill from dust and other particles in the air, and from breathing in fumes from cleaning supplies and mold. In fact, in a 2002 study of teachers in Washington, D.C., and Chicago, more than one-third of teachers in Chicago and more than one-quarter of teachers in D.C., reported health problems from their school buildings, which also meant missed workdays.

Data from the Berkeley National Laboratory also points to a measured difference in performance – from four percent to 16 percent -- on office tasks such as typing and addition when indoor “pollutant sources” were removed.


Sick Building Syndrome often connected to toxic cleaners and poor ventilation

Green building and green cleaning significantly improves the environment, the building itself and its inhabitants: A 2002 study by the Lawrence Berkley National Design Laboratory found that the improved air quality by use of green design, building materials and technologies can lower sick building symptoms by 20 percent to 50 percent, while cold and flu are reduced by nine percent to 20 percent, and allergies and asthma drop by eight percent to 25 percent.

Though cleaning in general certainly helps with dust and mold, it often is what is used to clean that results in “sick buildings” and sick people. Therefore, less toxic substances such as vinegar, citrus and water make for purer cleaning choices – which keep workers’ lungs and bodies pure as well.

Source: MNN


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Worker absenteeism doesn't just stem from toxic cleaning chemicals. Office printers, building materials and furniture can emit pollutants that can affect workers and students over time. Besides a well-maintained ventilation system, portable air purifiers can help clean the air in schools and universities and for facility management.

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