Parents check classroom air quality on mobile device

Poor indoor air quality in schools can
become a problem for students and staff.

Many schools are being renovated over the summer, causing parents to worry about potential toxic fumes to affect their children.

Some schools are moving to appease worried parents and provide information about the work being done, the materials used and the indoor air quality in the classroom.

According to a report by ChinaNews, a middle school in Yangpu district has posted QR codes in its recently renovated classrooms so parents can check the quality of the school's renovations with a simple scan of their mobile phones. This was announced by the Shanghai Environmental Protection Industry Association.

The school put up the square bar codes as part of a pilot program that aims to assure parents that their children won't be breathing toxic fumes from the renovations.

Parents worry that the two-month summer vacation isn't long enough for the noxious fumes from some construction materials, which can contain carcinogens such as methylbenzene, to dissipate.

In 2011, 73 students at the newly built Wunan Kindergarten in Shanghai missed the first day of classes because their parents were worried about the "pungent fumes" in the building stemming from construction over the summer.

The QR codes, which can be scanned with most mobile devices, offer parents a simple way to check the air quality and other details about the renovations, said Li Wei, the vice secretary-general of the Shanghai Environmental Protection Industry Association.

The scan results for the school's 72-square-meter conference hall showed that the air quality in the room has been tested on three different days since August 19. The tests were all clear. The scan results also showed that the composite wood floors and coatings on the walls, desks and chairs all met standards.

In the past, schools have not released the complete results of such safety inspections to parents. The QR code scans, however, give parents access to the full inspection results for seven classrooms, Li said.

The pilot program is expected to eventually be implemented citywide, and could be expanded to places like hospitals, shopping malls and movie theaters.

Edited for length. Source: Chinanews

Air cleaners for schools

Back-to-school time often leads to a surge of asthma attacks, allergy symptoms or other health effects caused by poor indoor air quality in classrooms.

Air cleaners for schools

Chemical fumes from construction and renovation work, dust and particles, mold spores, odors and chemicals from strong cleaning products can all cause IAQ problems in schools.

Electrocorp has designed a variety of versatile and mobile air cleaners for schools that can tackle the above-mentioned airborne contaminants and more (including airborne bacteria and viruses).

The air purifiers feature a multi-filter system for best results. That includes a large activated carbon filter to remove chemicals, fumes and odors, a superior medical-grade HEPA filter for particles and dust as well as optional UV germicidal filtration for biological contaminants such as germs and mold spores.

The air cleaners are long-lasting and sturdy, providing cleaner and more breathable air during the school day or on a 24/7 basis.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and a consultation.

Construction dust a big health and safety risk

Inhaling dust and particles at construction sites is a
major health and safety issue, officials say.

Construction workers that don't protect themselves from inhaling even small amounts of dust on the job could put their health at risk, health and safety officials say.

In Britain, about 500 workers die each year from conditions related to the inhalation of dusts from concrete, wood, sandstone, mortar and gypsum.

In order to reduce these numbers and improve the health and safety for construction workers, Britain's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) offers a free seminar on Sept. 20 on the dangers of construction dust and measures of protection.

The seminar is organized by the Working Well Together group and will take place in Coalville, Leicestershire, to increase awareness among managers and supervisors about health effects associated with dusts.

Dust inhalation linked to ill health

One major health effect is the possible development of silicosis, a respiratory disease caused by breathing in silica dust.

Silica is a common, naturally-occurring crystal and it is present in many construction materials.

Intense exposure can lead to health problems right away, but typically, health effects only emerge after 10 to 15 years of regular exposure.

"Construction dust is not just a nuisance, it is a serious risk to workers' health," said Chris Lucas of HSE’s Health Risk Management Unit in a news article about the seminar. He'll be speaking during the seminar. 

"Regularly breathing in even small amounts of dust over a long time can cause life-changing and life-threatening lung diseases, including cancer," he added. "Common jobs like cutting or grinding concrete, chasing out mortar, drilling in enclosed spaces or sanding wood can be high risk if not properly controlled." 

For a free information sheet, visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cis36.htm.

Source: Occupational Health and Safety Online

Air purification systems for construction and renovation projects 

Apart from personal protective systems, a portable yet highly efficient air cleaner helps provide cleaner air at construction and renovation work sites.

Electrocorp's IAQ solutions for construction and renovation include:

Air Marshal Series 
Equipped with powerful activated carbon and HEPA filters, these portable air purifiers help control airborne dust, particles, chemicals and fumes. Variable speed controls, pressure light indicator, negative air ready and various options available for different construction sites or projects.

The AirRhino is a highly efficient and portable air
cleaner for construction and renovation projects
as well as other industrial applications.

AirRhino Series 
Job site employees and building occupants alike will breathe cleaner and healthier air with an AirRhino air purification unit on site. The AirRhino can easily go from a dust and particle filtration system to a chemical, gas and odor abatement unit or a combination of both. Various filter options available.

5000 Series 
For smaller areas and renovation jobs, Electrocorp offers the 5000 Series air purifiers with HEPA and activated carbon filters for the abatement of dusts, particles, odors, chemicals and fumes.

For more information or a consultation with an IAQ expert, contact Electrocorp at 1-866-667-0297 or write to info@electrocorp.net.

Perma-Siding and Window Co to pay Omaha couple for failing to tell them about lead paint risks before reno work

Albracht Perma-Siding and Window Co., of Omaha, Neb., has agreed to pay a $6,188 civil penalty to the United States to settle allegations that it failed to notify an Omaha couple about lead-based paint risks before the company or its subcontractors performed renovation work at their pre-1978 home. 

It also failed to keep records of lead safe work practices it stated it performed at 10 pre-1978 homes in Lincoln, Bellevue, and Omaha, Neb.

According to an administrative consent agreement filed by EPA Region 7 in Lenexa, Kan., Albracht or its subcontractors were legally required to provide owners and occupants of the properties with an EPA-approved lead hazard information pamphlet before starting renovations at the properties. It is also required to maintain records of required lead safe work practices performed at the properties.

Provision of the lead hazard information pamphlet to property owners and occupants is one requirement of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act, which Congress passed in 1992 as an amendment of the federal Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

The regulation is intended to protect owners and occupants of residential properties, child care facilities and schools built before 1978 from health risks associated with lead-based paint. Lead-based paint was banned for residential use in the United States in 1978. Most homes built before 1978 contain some amount of lead-based paint, and subsequent renovation activity of such properties can cause occupants to be exposed to dust, chips and debris that contain lead.

The Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act requires renovators of such properties to obtain certified training, follow safe work practices and record-keeping requirements, and take specific steps to make owners and occupants aware of health risks associated with lead exposure before renovation work occurs.

Photo: freedigitalphotos.net

Asbestos alert for renovators and DIY homeowners

Do it yourselfers and contractors alike are being warned that they could become the next generation to fall victim to asbestos exposure.

That’s what’s already happening in Australia, the country with the highest recorded rate of asbestos-related deaths from the cancer, mesothelioma.

"Now we are seeing a new wave of these preventable diseases from people exposed to asbestos ... through the home-renovation boom," says Susan Wallace, CEO of Asbestos Free Tasmania.

Every house built before 1990 in that county can have some asbestos, and many renovators still have little idea of the dangers.

Tasmanian Labor senator Lisa Singh told an asbestos summit in Sydney that without a national approach, thousands of Australians would continue to be diagnosed with the condition.

"Without a co-ordinated approach to asbestos awareness and management, an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 Australians will be diagnosed with asbestos-related disease in the next 20 years," Senator Singh said.

"Most of these cases will result from poor management of asbestos in the home."

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Does your company provide asbestos remediation services? We can customize an air scrubber to meet your needs. Contact an Electrocorp service rep for a quote.


Source: TheMurcury.com.au
Photo: FreeDigitalPhotos.net