Prevention of Indoor Air Pollution

Oct. 19, 2000
At a technical session during the National Safety Council's\r\nCongress yesterday in Orlando, Fla., a speaker told attendees how to\r\nprevent indoor air pollution.

At a technical session during the National Safety Council''s (NSC) Congress yesterday in Orlando, Fla., Bayard Pelsor, MS, EHS manager of The Shepard Chemical Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, told attendees how to prevent indoor air pollution.

Pelsor presented the results of a study of an indoor air quality problem he investigated at a laboratory facility.

He identified that the laboratory hood exhaust was contaminating a fresh air supply. The suspected cause was the existing exhaust design and proximity to air intakes.

Pelsor explored solutions to solve the problem, including modifying exhaust stacks by removing the rain cap and attaching a cone-shaped nozzle to increase air velocity and eliminate downward deflection of exhaust.

He then tested and refined the solution by conducting inside air monitoring and observing outside contaminants.

In his assessment of the outcome, Pelsor said the new stack design resulted in adequate vertical dispersion of the exhaust to prevent contamination of air supply.

Pelsor offered the following recommendations to prevent indoor air pollution:

  • Inspect the facility for potential exhaust re-entrainment.
  • Consider potential for containment and environmental conditions.
  • As a safety professional, get involved in the early stages of designing ventilation systems at facility.
  • Monitor workplace areas.
  • Look at the design location and origin of exhaust stacks relative to supply air intakes.

by Virginia Sutcliffe

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

Sponsored Recommendations

Committing to Safety: Why Leadership’s Role in Safety Excellence is Key

Jan. 13, 2025
Leadership has the power to transform an organization through their behavior and vision, which can result in the creation of an organizational culturethat supports safety excellence...

Speak Up! Cementing "See Something, Say Something" to Drive Safety

Jan. 13, 2025
Many organizations promote "see something, say something" to encourage their people to intervene and make work safe. But most don't go far enough to equip teams with the skills...

The Truth and Challenges of Cultivating Chronic Unease

Jan. 13, 2025
DEKRA announces its latest white paper, “The Truth and Challenges of Cultivating Chronic Unease,” as a definitive look into why being vulnerable to incidents strengthens our commitment...

Mitigating Risks: Strategies for Safeguarding Workers in Hazardous Workplaces

Jan. 13, 2025
Join our expert team in taking on the challenge to make safety part of your organization’s DNA as work, the workforce, and workplaces evolve.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!