Indoor Air Quality Concerns

Employees may have concerns about air quality in their buildings. The following are common symptoms that may be associated with indoor air, and steps that may be taken to alleviate the concerns:

• Dry, itchy eyes: During cold weather, the heated air indoors can be very dry, sometimes making our eyes feel dry or itchy. Some of the buildings at Duke have humidification systems that can be adjusted by maintenance to improve user comfort, but most do not. Local humidification systems are discouraged because, if not maintained well, these can distribute microorganisms into room air, causing more severe health issues than the low humidity. For more information on humidifiers, see the EPA’s web page on use and care of home humidifiers (http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/humidif.html).
  
  
• Unusual odors: If you notice an unusual odor in the work area, we recommend the following actions:
  • If the odor is localized to a single room, it is most likely caused by something in that room, such as rotten food or something in the trash. Look around in the room to see if you can determine the cause.  Dry sink traps are notorious for producing sulfur-like odors.  If you have a sink or floor drain that is not frequently used, pour some water into it to fill up the trap and block odors from the sewer line. If you smell natural gas, contact maintenance to check for leaks.
  • For more widespread odors, look around your work area for any out-of-the-ordinary activities, such as painting, construction, housekeeping or grounds-keeping work. If the odor appears to be related to these activities, occupants’ concerns about the odor may be alleviated just by knowing what is causing the odor.
  • If you are not able to determine the cause of the odor yourself, contact maintenance. They may know of activities that could be causing the odor, or they can check your HVAC system to see if the odor source may be near the air intake.
  • For recurring odors with no apparent source, keep a record of the days and times that you notice the odor. This may help you identify a pattern and thereby recognize the cause of the odor.
  • If you believe the odor represents an immediate health or safety threat, call OESO at 684-2794.
• Allergic-type symptoms (sneezing, watery eyes): There are many potential causes of allergic-type symptoms, most of which are not related to indoor air. However, if a building is excessively humid or if water leaks into the building, mold may grow on building materials or in the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system, subsequently causing symptoms for sensitive individuals. If building occupants experience allergic-type symptoms:
  • If occupants’ symptoms are related to being at work, employees are encouraged to fill out a Report of Occupational Injury/Illness and may make an appointment at Employee Occupational Health and Wellness at 684-3136.
  • If you notice mold growing on building materials, call maintenance to have the mold removed.
  • If employees are leaving windows open in the area, make them aware that pollen and mold spores will enter the building through open windows and may cause symptoms for sensitive individuals. Ask employees to leave windows closed.
  • If occupants are experiencing allergic-type symptoms but there are no signs of visible mold and windows are not being left open, contact maintenance to have them check the HVAC unit. Keep a record of the name of the HVAC mechanic who checks the system.

If maintenance is not able to resolve indoor air quality concerns, the SUPERVISOR or MANAGER of the area may request that Occupational Hygiene and Safety perform an Indoor Air Quality Investigation by following the instructions on our Indoor Air Quality Investigation Request page.

For more information about indoor air quality, see the Environmental Protection Agency’s page on the topic:  http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/occupgd.html