Indoor Air Quality: The Sleeping Giant - Dr Julie Riggs - Safety and Health Expo 2014

Dr. Julie Riggs DProf
Academic Practitioner, Writer, Speaker
IAQ – The Sleeping Giant
+ 44 (0) 77683 45529
Julie@drjulieriggs.co.uk
www.drjulieriggs.co.uk

+ 44 (0) 77683 45529
Indoor
Air
Quality
How
important
is IAQ to
you?

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X 600
per day

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• Spend 80% + time indoors;
• Indoor environments are 10x more pollutant than outdoor;
• EPA recognise IAQ as one of the top 5 health hazards;
• 20 toxic compounds (cancer/birth defects) 200-500x higher indoors;
• According to the AMA, 50% of all illnesses are caused or aggravated
by polluted indoor air;
• 36,000 new chemicals added to CAS;
• Unknown levels of risk / silo testing / silo knowledge;
• Houses - 1900 (50 materials) – 2000 (55,000 materials);
• Changes in building design and work practices;
• 70% of occupants are dissatisfied with their environment;
• Increase of health effects.

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IAQ Developments:
• The increase in the amount of time spent in
indoor environments;
• The increased dependence on artificial
products;
• Increase occupancy densities;
• Energy conservation techniques.

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Indoor
Air
Quality
Are we
doing
enough?

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+ 44 (0) 77683 45529
15% of people in England have asthma

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Kostiainen and Lampinen
(2008)
Riggs (2013)
 78% believe indoor air
problems are belittled;
 Only 11% believe IAQ problems
are acknowledged and
managed;
 61% believe no one assuming
responsibility of IAQ;
 Only 17% confirm indoor air
quality testing is conducted;
 69% are dissatisfied with their
workplace;
 70% - Not satisfied with work
environment IAQ;
 46% complain of unpleasant
odour;
 32% - Unusual odours;
 25% complain of dry air;  58% - Too dry air;
 52% complain of varying room
temperature.
 56% - Uncomfortable
fluctuating temperatures;
 90% - Temperature varies room
to room;
 93% - Temperature varies
during the day.

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(168 responses)
• 82% stated they
had no control
over their
environment;
• 70% saying they
are dissatisfied
with their
environment;
• 92% have no
access to IAQ
resources;
• 75% place a high
value on
educating people
about IAQ.
(82 responses)
• 3.6% have an IAQ
policy within their
organisation;
• 96% value
independent IAQ
organisation;
• 95% value IAQ in
education;
• 99% value clearer
guidelines;
• 94% value
investigation kits .Political and society risk
perception influences
focus and resources

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Breyer (1993)
Industrial Waste Site or Indoor Air Quality
Which is the highest risk?

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73% of Facility Managers
have installed……
Source: AHRN, 2003
…… a fake thermostat

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The IAQ
ChallengeHIGHEST
PRIORITY?
Based upon # of
people potentially
affected

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Mortality
Morbidity
Significant
physiopathology /
psychological impact
(chronic)
Insignificant physiopathology /
psychological impact (acute)
Reduced Production
Reduced Comfort
Combined low exposure with no effect other than
perception

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Derek clement croomes quote
• Staff costs are 100 -
200 times the cost of
energy;
• 20 to 44 times the
HVAC running costs;
• 30 times the HVAC
installation costs.
Clements-Croome (2003)

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• 75% of asthmatics have attack triggered by
perfumes (Shim and Williams, 1986);
• NIOSH recognised 884 substances (from 2,983)
used in fragrances were capable of causing
cancer, birth defects, central nervous system
disorders, allergic respiratory reactions, skin and
eye irritations (Griffin, 2003);
• 15-30% of the general population reports some
sensitivity to chemicals, including fragrances.;
• 100 VOCs - five of the six products emitted one or
more carcinogenic hazardous air pollutants which
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
considers to have no safe exposure level
(Steineman, 2008).

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Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
refers to the physical,
chemical and biological
characteristics of air in the
indoor environment within a
building and how it relates
to the occupants physical
and psychological health,
comfort and productivity.

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What legacy are you leaving?

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A catastrophe may already have
occurred - the future may be
foreclosed by what we have
already done: “We all live under
the haunting fear that something
may corrupt the environment to
the point where man joins the
dinosaurs as an obsolete way of life
. . .our fate could perhaps be
sealed twenty or more years
before the development of
symptoms” (Carson, 1962, p188).

Indoor Air Quality: The Sleeping Giant - Dr Julie Riggs - Safety and Health Expo 2014

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Indoor Air Quality: The Sleeping Giant - Dr Julie Riggs - Safety and Health Expo 2014