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WorkSafeBC

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Factors Affecting IAQ

Factors that affect IAQ include:

  • Poorly designed or inadequately maintained ventilation and temperature control systems

  • Microbial and fungal matter, such as bacteria and moulds

  • Carbon monoxide from tobacco smoke, vehicles parked near air intakes, and so on

  • Formaldehyde from insulation, carpets, and so on

  • Volatile organic compounds given off by office printers and photocopiers, paint, glue, cleaning materials, and so on

  • Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), also known as secondhand smoke, and other particulate pollutants

Several resources are provided below. For a more comprehensive list go to Resources.

Indoor Air Quality: A Guide for Building Owners, Managers, and Occupants

This new guide helps owners, managers, operators, building occupants, labour unions, engineers, environmental consultants, and suppliers maintain good indoor air quality, prevent indoor air quality problems, and correct problems that may arise. It also provides information on indoor air quality requirements in the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (2 MB)

Microbials and Indoor Air Quality

"Seemingly harmless, microbials can become a health problem in indoor air environments when certain species are present or when their numbers are too high. There are two types of microbials which can affect indoor air quality: moulds and bacteria."
Source: Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission of New Brunswick
* PDF (40 KB)

Indoor Air Quality - Volatile Organic Compounds including Formaldehyde

One page fact sheet about volatile organic compounds from the BC Health Files.
Source: BC Ministry of Health Planning
* HTML

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Enclosed and Semi-Enclosed Worksites

A safety alert. "A worker at a large, enclosed construction site died of carbon monoxide poisoning after he and six other workers were exposed to high levels of the gas. Ventilation on the site was inadequate, and three machines were giving off carbon monoxide: a portable mixer and a trowel, both powered by gasoline, and a forklift powered by propane."
Source: Ontario Ministry of Labour
* HTML

Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Ventilation and the BC Hospitality Sector: Best Practices Forum

This executive summary provides employers, supervisors, workers, and health and safety personnel in hotels and restaurants with information on installing ventilation systems and compliance with WorkSafeBC's ETS Regulation.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (128 KB)



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