Thursday, April 30, 2009

Swine Flu Questions and Info Part III

How serious is swine flu infection?

Like seasonal flu, swine flu in humans can vary in severity from mild to severe. Between 2005 until January 2009, 12 human cases of swine flu were detected in the U.S. with no deaths occurring. However, swine flu infection can be serious. In September 1988, a previously healthy 32-year-old pregnant woman in Wisconsin was hospitalized for pneumonia after being infected with swine flu and died 8 days later. A swine flu outbreak in Fort Dix, New Jersey occurred in 1976 that caused more than 200 cases with serious illness in several people and one death.

What is CDC doing in response to the outbreak?

April 29, 2009, 10:55 PM ETCDC has implemented its emergency response. The agency’s goals are to reduce transmission and illness severity, and provide information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by the new virus. CDC continues to issue new interim guidance for clinicians and public health professionals. In addition, CDC’s Division of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) continues to send antiviral drugs, personal protective equipment, and respiratory protection devices to all 50 states and U.S. territories to help them respond to the outbreak.

What epidemiological investigations are taking place in response to the recent outbreak?

CDC works very closely with state and local officials in areas where human cases of H1N1 (swine flu) infections have been identified. In California and Texas, where EpiAid teams have been deployed, many epidemiological activities are taking place or planned including:
  • Active surveillance in the counties where infections in humans have been identified;
  • Studies of health care workers who were exposed to patients infected with the virus to see if they became infected;
  • Studies of households and other contacts of people who were confirmed to have been infected to see if they became infected;
  • Study of a public high school where three confirmed human cases of influenza A (H1N1) of swine origin occurred to see if anyone became infected and how much contact they had with a confirmed case; and
  • Study to see how long a person with the virus infection sheds the virus.

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/swineflu_you.htm

For previous Part II of this series go to http://moldandasbestos.blogspot.com/2009/04/swine-flu-questions-part-ii.html

Agricultural Workers At Increased Risk For Infection With Animal Flu Viruses

Findings May Have Implications for Pandemic Flu Planning

(EPA press release - http://www.epa.gov/aging/press/othernews/2005/2005_1125_ons_1.htm )

Farmers, veterinarians and meat processors who routinely come into contact with pigs in their jobs have a markedly increased risk of infection with flu viruses that infect pigs, according to a study funded in part by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). While the findings are not entirely unexpected, the strikingly higher risk of infection coupled with the fact that pigs can be infected by swine viruses, bird (avian) viruses as well as human flu viruses -- thereby acting as a virtual virus "mixing bowl," especially on farms where pigs, chickens and people coexist -- is a potential public health concern, the study authors assert. The paper appears online this week in "Clinical Infectious Diseases".

"Pigs play a role in transmitting influenza virus to humans," says NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. "The worry is that if a pig were to become simultaneously infected with both a human and an avian influenza virus, genes from these viruses could reassemble into a new virus that could be transmitted to and cause disease in people."

The study results strongly suggest that occupational exposure to pigs significantly increases the risk of developing swine influenza infection. Agricultural workers should, therefore, be considered in developing flu pandemic surveillance plans and antiviral and immunization strategies, according to the study's co-investigator, Gregory C. Gray, M.D., director of the University of Iowa Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases.

"If migratory birds introduce the H5N1 bird flu virus into swine or poultry populations in this country, agricultural workers may be at a much greater risk of developing a variant H5N1 and passing it along to non-agricultural workers," Gray says. "Not protecting agricultural workers could amplify influenza transmission among humans and domestic animals during a pandemic and cause considerable damage to the swine and poultry industries, as well as the U.S. economy." While swine in other countries have been infected by the H5N1 virus, to date, the virus has not become readily transmissible between swine.

Swine influenza infections generally produce mild or no symptoms in both pigs and humans. However, exposure to swine flu virus at a 1988 Wisconsin county fair resulted in serious illness for 50 swine exhibitors and three of their family members; one previously healthy woman who became infected died.

The U.S. swine industry, which employs about 575,000 people, has shifted during the past 60 years from primarily small herds located on family farms to large herds maintained in expansive but confined agricultural facilities. Crowded conditions coupled with the constant introduction of young pigs to existing herds have made swine flu infections among pigs a year-round occurrence rather than the seasonal event they once were. As a result, there is a constant opportunity for people who are occupationally exposed to pigs to become infected with influenza viruses and, conversely, a continual opportunity for human flu viruses to mix with swine or bird flu viruses.
To determine the prevalence of swine influenza infection among swine-exposed employees, the researchers, led by Dr. Gray and graduate student Kendall P. Myers, examined serum samples taken from four adult populations in Iowa between 2002 and 2004. Three populations were occupational groups exposed to pigs: 111 farmers, 97 meat processing workers and 65 veterinarians. The fourth control group included 79 volunteers from the University of Iowa with no occupational pig exposure.

The researchers tested the serum samples for antibodies to several then-current swine and human influenza A viruses. The results showed that all three occupational study groups had markedly elevated antibodies to swine flu viruses compared with the control group. Farmers had the strongest indication of exposure to swine flu viruses, as much as 35 times higher than the control group. Similarly, comparable values were as much as 18 times higher for veterinarians and as much as 7 times higher for meat processors than the control group. In contrast, exposure to human flu virus in the occupational groups was not significantly different than that of the control group.

To date, the H5N1 avian virus has not appeared in the United States in any animal population or in humans.

NIAID is a component of the National Institutes of Health, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIAID supports basic and applied research to prevent, diagnose and treat infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, influenza, tuberculosis, malaria and illness from potential agents of bioterrorism. NIAID also supports research on transplantation and immune-related illnesses, including autoimmune disorders, asthma and allergies.

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References: KP Myers et al. Are swine workers in the United States at increased risk of infection with zoonotic influenza virus? "Clinical Infectious Diseases". Published online November 22, 2005. Appearing in the January 1, 2006 print edition.

News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID Web site at http://www.niaid.nih.gov.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) -- "The Nation's Medical Research Agency" -- includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

This NIH News Release is available online at: http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/nov2005/niaid-25.htm

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Swine Flu Information Video From the CDC

In this video, Dr. Joe Bresee with the CDC Influenza Division describes swine flu - its signs and symptoms, how it's transmitted, medicines to treat it, steps people can take to protect themselves from it, and what people should do if they become ill.



Avian Flu (Avian Influenza) Viruses Introduction Information

As per the United States OSHA website, numerous stories have aired on radio and television or been published in various news media concerning avian influenza and in particular the H5N1 subtype. Unfortunately there is now much confusion about the different human diseases caused by influenza viruses.

Influenza A viruses can cause three distinct diseases in humans: avian, pandemic and seasonal influenza. Avian influenza in humans is rare and the most common route of infection is via direct or indirect contact with secretions (nasal, oral or fecal) from infected poultry. Transmission from human-to-human, if it exists, is extremely rare. However, avian influenza viruses have the potential to mutate or reassort and become pandemic viruses; those that can be readily transmitted between humans and those for which the population has little immunity. If these viruses spread throughout the world, the disease caused by them would be called pandemic influenza and the new viruses would be called pandemic influenza viruses. Previous pandemic influenza episodes have occurred in two or three waves of 6-8 week duration and spanned a 12-18 month period. After this period, the population will have built up immunity to the virus, either naturally or through vaccination. If the virus continues to circulate in the population and causes disease, it would become an influenza virus that causes seasonal influenza (more popularly called human influenza or the flu).

Influenza A viruses are subdivided into numerous subtypes. The subtypes are differentiated by variations in two viral surface proteins, hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). Sixteen different H proteins and nine N proteins have been identified. Subtypes are designated by numbering particular combinations of these proteins (e.g., H5N1). Therefore, there are a total of 144 possible subtypes (16H x 9N) of influenza A viruses and all or most of these have been found in wild waterfowl. Interestingly only three of the 144 subtypes, H1N1, H2N2 and H3N2, have caused pandemic influenza in the 20th century. Only strains of H1N1 and H3N2 are currently circulating and causing seasonal influenza. Recently a number of different subtypes of influenza A viruses have emerged as agents of avian influenza in humans and these include H5N1, H7N2, H7N3, H7N7 and H9N2.

As of October 2006, H5N1 viruses have killed more than 150 people in ten different countries since the beginning of 2003. On the other hand, the H7N7 virus has been associated with a single human death but numerous cases of conjunctivitis (eye infection) in the Netherlands. The H7N2, H7N3 and H9N2 viruses have caused only mild disease in humans. While the number of human deaths caused by the H5N1 virus is small in comparison to the annual deaths attributed to human seasonal influenza viruses (~36,000/ year in the U.S.), it is of particular concern to the public health community because many scientists believe that this virus may continue to mutate or reassort and a strain may ultimately develop the ability to pass readily between humans. If this happens, the virus that emerges may cause the next major influenza pandemic.

As of October 2006, the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus has not been detected in North or South America and it is important to understand that a pandemic influenza virus has not yet emerged and when, and if, it will emerge is impossible to predict.

For more information visit the OSHA website



Can the air you breathe at home or office KILL YOU? It HAS in the past! To protect yourself and your family now, click here

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Swine Flu Questions - Part II

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?

There is no vaccine available right now to protect against swine flu. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
  • Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
  • If you get sick with influenza, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

How can someone with the flu infect someone else?

Infected people may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 7 or more days after becoming sick. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.

Source: http://www.pandemicflu.gov/faq/swineflu/010.html

Can the air you breathe at home or office KILL YOU? It HAS in the past! To protect yourself and your family now, click here

Swine Flu Questions - Part I

What is swine flu?
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses. Outbreaks of swine flu happen regularly in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Most commonly, human cases of swine flu happen in people who are around pigs but it’s possible for swine flu viruses to spread from person to person also.

Are there human infections with swine flu in the U.S.?
In late March and early April 2009, cases of human infection with swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses were first reported in Southern California and near San Antonio, Texas. CDC and local and state health agencies are working together to investigate this situation. An updated case count of confirmed swine flu infections in the United States is kept at http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm. CDC and local and state health agencies are working together to investigate this situation.


How many swine flu viruses are there?
Like all influenza viruses, swine flu viruses change constantly. Pigs can be infected by avian influenza and human influenza viruses as well as swine influenza viruses. When influenza viruses from different species infect pigs, the viruses can reassort (i.e. swap genes) and new viruses that are a mix of swine, human and/or avian influenza viruses can emerge. Over the years, different variations of swine flu viruses have emerged. At this time, there are four main influenza type A virus subtypes that have been isolated in pigs: H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, and H3N1. However, most of the recently isolated influenza viruses from pigs have been H1N1 viruses.

Source:http://pandemicflu.gov/index.html

Monday, April 27, 2009

OSHA Guidance Update on Protecting Employees from Avian Flu (Avian Influenza) Viruses

OSHA Guidance Update on Protecting Employeesfrom Avian Flu (Avian Influenza) Viruses

Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure the safety and health of America's employees by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health.

The handbook provides a general overview of a particular topic related to OSHA standards. It does not alter or determine compliance responsibilities in OSHA standards or the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Because interpretations and enforcement policy may change over time, you should consult current OSHA administrative interpretations and decisions by the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission and the Courts for additional guidance on OSHA compliance requirements.

To see the entire publication go to
http://www.osha.gov/Publications/3323-10N-2006-English-07-17-2007.html

Swine Flu Information Series - Part I

What is swine flu?

Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that causes regular outbreaks in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Swine flu viruses have been reported to spread from person-to-person, but in the past, this transmission was limited and not sustained beyond three people.

Are there human infections with swine flu in the U.S.?

In late March and early April 2009, cases of human infection with swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses were first reported in Southern California and near San Antonio, Texas. Other U.S. states have reported cases of swine flu infection in humans and cases have been reported internationally as well. An updated case count of confirmed swine flu infections in the United States is kept at http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htmCDC and local and state health agencies are working together to investigate this situation.

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/swineflu_you.htm

Can the air you breathe at home or office KILL YOU? It HAS in the past! To protect yourself and your family now, click here

Information on Swine Influenza - Swine Flu

As per the CDC - Human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection have been identified in the United States. Human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection also have been identified internationally. The current U.S. case count is provided below.

State # of laboratory confirmed cases
California 7 cases
Kansas 2 cases
New York City 8 cases
Ohio 1 case
Texas 2 cases
TOTAL COUNT 20 cases

Investigations are ongoing to determine the source of the infection and whether additional people have been infected with swine influenza viruses.

CDC is working very closely with officials in states where human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) have been identified, as well as with health officials in Mexico, Canada and the World Health Organization. This includes deploying staff domestically and internationally to provide guidance and technical support. CDC has activated its Emergency Operations Center to coordinate this investigation.

Laboratory testing has found the swine influenza A (H1N1) virus susceptible to the prescription antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir and has issued interim guidance for the use of these drugs to treat and prevent infection with swine influenza viruses. CDC also has prepared interim guidance on how to care for people who are sick and interim guidance on the use of face masks in a community setting where spread of this swine flu virus has been detected. This is a rapidly evolving situation and CDC will provide new information as it becomes available.

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/

Friday, April 24, 2009

Asbestos OSHA Standards

As per OSHA ( www.osha.gov ) - Asbestos hazards are addressed in specific standards for the general industry and shipyard employment. This page highlights OSHA standards, preambles to final rules (background to final rules), Federal Registers (rules, proposed rules, and notices), directives (instructions for compliance officers), standard interpretations (official letters of interpretation of the standards) related to asbestos.

Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, often referred to as the General Duty Clause, requires employers to "furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees". Section 5(a)(2) requires employers to "comply with occupational safety and health standards promulgated under this Act".

please see the source below for more information

Source: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/asbestos/standards.html

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Indoor Environmental Asthma Triggers

As per the USEPA, Americans spend up to 90% of their time indoors. Therefore, indoor allergens and irritants can play a significant role in triggering asthma attacks. It is important to recognize potential asthma triggers in the indoor environment and reduce your exposure to those triggers. You may not be affected by all of the triggers listed here. Your doctor can help you to determine which triggers affect your asthma and develop a specific plan to reduce your triggers.

Indoor Environmental Asthma Triggers

  • Secondhand Smoke
  • Dust Mites
  • Molds
  • Cockroaches and Pests
  • Pets
  • Nitrogen Dioxide
  • Outdoor Air

Some of the most common indoor asthma triggers include secondhand smoke, dust mites, mold, cockroaches and other pests, household pets, and combustion byproducts. Click on the links below to learn more about these triggers and how to reduce your exposure to them.

Secondhand smoke is a mixture of smoke from the burning end of a cigarette, pipe or cigar and the smoke exhaled by the smoker that is often found in homes and cars where smoking is allowed.

Dust mites are too small to be seen, but can be found in almost every home in mattresses and bedding materials, carpets, upholstered furniture, stuffed toys and curtains.

Mold can grow indoors when mold spores land on wet or damp surfaces. In the home, mold is most commonly found in the bathroom, kitchen and basement.

Cockroach body parts, secretions and droppings, and the urine, droppings and saliva of pests, such as rodents, are often found in areas where food and water are present.

Pets' skin flakes, urine and saliva can be found in homes where pets are allowed inside.

Nitrogen Dioxide is a reddish-brown, irritating odor gas that can be a byproduct of indoor fuel-burning appliances, such as gas stoves, gas or oil furnaces, fireplaces, wood stoves and unvented kerosene or gas space heaters.

Source: http://www.epa.gov/asthma/triggers.html

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Health Effects of Lead

Health effects of lead

As per the US EPA, childhood lead poisoning remains a major environmental health problem in the United States.

People can get lead in their body if they:
  • Put their hands or other objects covered with lead dust in their mouths.
  • Eat paint chips or soil that contains lead.
  • Breathe in lead dust, especially during renovations that disturb painted surfaces.

Lead is more dangerous to children because:

  • Babies and young children often put their hands and other objects in their mouths. These objects can have lead dust on them.
  • Children's growing bodies absorb more lead.
  • Children's brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead.

If not detected early, children with high levels of lead in their bodies can suffer from:

  • Damage to the brain and nervous system
  • Behavior and learning problems, such as hyperactivity
  • Slowed growth
  • Hearing problems
  • Headaches

Lead is also harmful to adults. Adults can suffer from:

  • Reproductive problems (in both men and women)
  • High blood pressure and hypertension
  • Nerve disorders
  • Memory and concentration problems
  • Muscle and joint pain

As per http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/leadinfo.htm#health

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Sick Building Syndrome - Non Specific Building Related IIllness

Medical and social prognoses of non-specific building-related symptoms (Sick Building Syndrome): a follow-up study of patients previously referred to hospital. The aim of this study was to describe and analyse the medical and social prognoses of patients with non-specific building-related symptoms.

Complete article can be read at Sick Building Syndrome - NCBI

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Radon - What is It and What are the Potential Health Effects

As per the US EPA - Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, following smoking. Radon is odorless, colorless, and tasteless. It is a naturally occurring radioactive gas resulting from the decay of radium, itself a decay product of uranium. Radon in turn breaks down into radon decay products, short-lived radionuclides. These decay products, either free or attached to airborne particles, are inhaled, and further decay can take place in the lungs before removal by clearance mechanisms.

It is the emission of high-energy alpha particles during the radon decay process that increases the risk of lung cancer. While the risk to underground miners has long been known, the potential danger of residential radon pollution has been widely recognized only since the late 1970s, with the documentation of high indoor levels.

When radon decay products are inhaled and deposited in the lungs, the alpha emissions penetrate the cells of the epithelium lining the lung. Energy deposited in these cells during irradiation is believed to initiate the process of carcinogenesis. The EPA, the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and others estimate that thousands of lung cancer deaths per year are attributable to radon, based on data from epidemiologic studies of thousands of underground miners and from animal studies. Lung cancer is presently the only commonly accepted disease risk associated with radon.

Tobacco smoke in combination with radon exposure has a synergistic effect. Smokers and former smokers are believed to be at especially high risk. Scientists estimate that the increased risk of lung cancer to smokers from radon exposure is ten to twenty times higher than to people who have never smoked.

The EPA estimates that as many as six million homes throughout the country have elevated levels of radon. Since 1988, EPA and the Office of the Surgeon General have recommended that homes below the third floor be tested for radon.

Short term testing is the quickest way to determine if a potential problem exists, taking from two to ninety days to complete. Low-cost radon test kits are available by mail order, in hardware stores, and through other retail outlets62.

EPA recommends that consumers use measurement devices that are state-certified or have met the requirements of a proficiency program. For further information on EPA's former National Radon Proficiency Program (RPP) (EPA closed its National Radon Proficiency Program in 1998) visit our Radon web site www.epa.gov/radon/radontest.html EPA also recommends that consumers use trained contractors who provide testing services. The most commonly used devices are charcoal canisters, electret ion detectors, alpha track detectors, and continuous monitors placed by contractors. Short term testing should be conducted in the lowest lived in area of the home, with the doors and windows shut. Long term testing can take up to a full year but is more likely to reflect the home's year round average radon level than short term testing. Alpha track detectors and electret ion detectors are the most common long-term testing devices.

Corrective steps include sealing foundation cracks and holes, and venting radon-laden air from beneath the foundation. Professional expertise should be sought for effective execution of these measures.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Solutions to Sick Building Syndrome

As per the US EPA website, solutions to sick building syndrome usually include combinations of the following:

Pollutant source removal or modification is an effective approach to resolving an IAQ problem when sources are known and control is feasible. Examples include routine maintenance of HVAC systems, e.g., periodic cleaning or replacement of filters; replacement of water-stained ceiling tile and carpeting; institution of smoking restrictions; venting contaminant source emissions to the outdoors; storage and use of paints, adhesives, solvents, and pesticides in well ventilated areas, and use of these pollutant sources during periods of non-occupancy; and allowing time for building materials in new or remodeled areas to off-gas pollutants before occupancy. Several of these options may be exercised at one time.

Increasing ventilation rates and air distribution often can be a cost effective means of reducing indoor pollutant levels. HVAC systems should be designed, at a minimum, to meet ventilation standards in local building codes; however, many systems are not operated or maintained to ensure that these design ventilation rates are provided. In many buildings, IAQ can be improved by operating the HVAC system to at least its design standard, and to ASHRAE Standard 62-1989 if possible. When there are strong pollutant sources, local exhaust ventilation may be appropriate to exhaust contaminated air directly from the building. Local exhaust ventilation is particularly recommended to remove pollutants that accumulate in specific areas such as rest rooms, copy rooms, and printing facilities. (For a more detailed discussion of ventilation, read Fact Sheet: Ventilation and Air Quality in Offices)

Air cleaning can be a useful adjunct to source control and ventilation but has certain limitations. Particle control devices such as the typical furnace filter are inexpensive but do not effectively capture small particles; high performance air filters capture the smaller, respirable particles but are relatively expensive to install and operate. Mechanical filters do not remove gaseous pollutants. Some specific gaseous pollutants may be removed by adsorbent beds, but these devices can be expensive and require frequent replacement of the adsorbent material. In sum, air cleaners can be useful, but have limited application.

Education and communication are important elements in both remedial and preventive indoor air quality management programs. When building occupants, management, and maintenance personnel fully communicate and understand the causes and consequences of IAQ problems, they can work more effectively together to prevent problems from occurring, or to solve them if they do.

Source: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/sbs.html#Building%20Investigation%20Procedures

Sunday, April 5, 2009

What is Sick Building Syndrome and Building Related Illness

As per the USEPA, The term "sick building syndrome" (SBS) is used to describe situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified. The complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone, or may be widespread throughout the building. In contrast, the term "building related illness" (BRI) is used when symptoms of diagnosable illness are identified and can be attributed directly to airborne building contaminants.

A 1984 World Health Organization Committee report suggested that up to 30 percent of new and remodeled buildings worldwide may be the subject of excessive complaints related to indoor air quality (IAQ). Often this condition is temporary, but some buildings have long-term problems. Frequently, problems result when a building is operated or maintained in a manner that is inconsistent with its original design or prescribed operating procedures. Sometimes indoor air problems are a result of poor building design or occupant activities.

Indicators of SBS include:
  • Building occupants complain of symptoms associated with acute discomfort, e.g., headache; eye, nose, or throat irritation; dry cough; dry or itchy skin; dizziness and nausea; difficulty in concentrating; fatigue; and sensitivity to odors.
  • The cause of the symptoms is not known.
  • Most of the complainants report relief soon after leaving the building.

Indicators of BRI include:

  • Building occupants complain of symptoms such as cough; chest tightness; fever, chills; and muscle aches
  • The symptoms can be clinically defined and have clearly identifiable causes.
  • Complainants may require prolonged recovery times after leaving the building.

It is important to note that complaints may result from other causes. These may include an illness contracted outside the building, acute sensitivity (e.g., allergies), job related stress or dissatisfaction, and other psychosocial factors. Nevertheless, studies show that symptoms may be caused or exacerbated by indoor air quality problems.

This information was gathered from the USEPA Website

Friday, April 3, 2009

What to Expect From an Air Duct Cleaning Service Provider

As per the USEPA's website, If you choose to have your ducts cleaned, the service provider should:
  • Open access ports or doors to allow the entire system to be cleaned and inspected.
  • Inspect the system before cleaning to be sure that there are no asbestos-containing materials (e.g., insulation, register boots, etc.) in the heating and cooling system. Asbestos-containing materials require specialized procedures and should not be disturbed or removed except by specially trained and equipped contractors.
  • Use vacuum equipment that exhausts particles outside of the home or use only high-efficiency particle air (HEPA) vacuuming equipment if the vacuum exhausts inside the home.
  • Protect carpet and household furnishings during cleaning.
  • Use well-controlled brushing of duct surfaces in conjunction with contact vacuum cleaning to dislodge dust and other particles.
  • Use only soft-bristled brushes for fiberglass duct board and sheet metal ducts internally lined with fiberglass. (Although flex duct can also be cleaned using soft-bristled brushes, it can be more economical to simply replace accessible flex duct.)
  • Take care to protect the duct work, including sealing and re-insulating any access holes the service provider may have made or used so they are airtight.
  • Follow NADCA's standards for air duct cleaning and NAIMA's recommended practice for ducts containing fiber glass lining or constructed of fiber glass duct board.