Airborne Contaminants And Dust

This Navitent will cover safety regulations related to Indoor Airborne Contaminants.

The topics we will cover are:

-What is Indoor Air Quality?
-Good Indoor Air Quality
-Common Causes of Problems
-Early Detection and Symptoms
-Employer Responsibilities and Prevention
-How To Identify Air Quality Problems
-What You Can Do

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What is Indoor Air Quality?

Indoor air quality describes how inside air can affect a person's health, comfort, and ability to work.

It can include temperature, humidity, lack of outside air (poor ventilation), mold from water damage, or exposure to other chemicals.

Good Indoor Air Quality

The qualities of good indoor air quality should include:

-Comfortable temperature and humidity

-Adequate supply of fresh outdoor air

-Control of pollutants from inside and outside of the building

Common Causes of Problems

Here is a list of the most common causes:

-Not enough ventilation, lack of fresh outdoor air or contaminated air being brought into the building

-Poor upkeep of ventilation, heating and air-conditioning systems

-Dampness and moisture damage due to leaks, flooding or high humidity

-Occupant activities, such as construction or remodeling

-Indoor and outdoor contaminated air

Early Detection and Symptoms

People working in buildings with poor indoor air quality may notice unpleasant or musty odors or may feel that the building is hot and stuffy.

Some workers complain about symptoms that happen at work and go away when they leave work, like having headaches or feeling tired.

Fever, cough, and shortness of breath can be symptoms of a more serious problem. Asthma and some causes of pneumonia have been linked to indoor air quality problems.

If you have symptoms that are not going away or are getting worse, talk to your doctor about them. But not all exposures cause symptoms, so there is no substitute for good building management.

Employer Responsibilities and Prevention

Employers are required to follow the General Duty Clause of the OSHAct, which requires them to provide workers with a safe workplace that does not have any known hazards that cause or are likely to cause death or serious injury.

The OSHAct also requires employers to obey occupational safety and health standards created under it.

Employers should be reasonably aware of the possible sources of poor air quality, and they should have the resources necessary to recognize and control workplace hazards.

It is also their responsibility to inform employees of the immediate dangers that are present.

How To Identify Air Quality Problems

The following information may be helpful to your doctor or your employer to figure out if there is an indoor air quality problem at your workplace:

-Do you have symptoms that just occur at work and go away when you get home?

-What are these symptoms?

-Are these symptoms related to a certain time of day, a certain season or certain location at work?

-Did the symptoms start when something new happened at work, such as renovation or construction projects?

-Are there other people at work with similar complaints?

-Did you already see a doctor for your symptoms, and if so, did the doctor diagnose an illness related to indoor air quality?

What You Can Do

If you are concerned about air quality at work, ask your employer to check the ventilation, heating and air conditioning systems and to make sure there is no water damage.

If you think that you have symptoms that may be related to indoor air quality at your work, talk to your doctor about them to see if they could be caused by indoor air pollution.

Under the OSHAct, you have the right to contact an OSHA Office or to contact OSHA’s toll-free number: 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) or TTY 1-877-889-5627.

How much did this Navitent help you to understand the Cal/OSHA safety regulations for Indoor Airborne Contaminants And Dust, including:

-What is Indoor Air Quality?
-Good Indoor Air Quality
-Common Causes of Problems
-Early Detection and Symptoms
-Employer Responsibilities and Prevention
-How To Identify Air Quality Problems
-What You Can Do

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