Why is Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in Schools Important?

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Why is Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in Schools Important?

by Minnesota Department of Health

Published by: Pure Air Control Services

http://www.imakenews.com/pureaircontrols/e_article000699635.cfm?

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Indoor levels of air pollutants can be 2-5 times higher, and

occasionally 100 times higher, than outdoor levels. Nearly 55

million, 20 percent of the U.S. population, spend their days inside

elementary and secondary schools. And according to a 1995 federal

government report, an estimated 50 percent of the nation's schools

have problems linked to poor indoor air quality. " 1

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency

(USEPA), IAQ is important for health, economic, and legal reasons.

Indoor air pollutants can cause discomfort, and reduce school

attendance and productivity. Moreover, they can " cause or contribute

to short- and long-term health problems, including asthma,

respiratory tract infection and disease, allergic reactions,

headaches, nasal congestion, eye and skin irritations, coughing,

sneezing, fatigue, dizziness and nausea. " 1 Poor indoor air quality

can hasten building deterioration. One study of an elementary school

showed that if $8,140 had been spent over 22 years on preventive

maintenance, $1.5 million in repairs could have been avoided1. In

addition, poor indoor air quality can contribute to the closing of

schools, create liability problems, and strain relationships among

parents, teachers, and the school administration.

Minnesota law (§123B.57) requires public school districts to adopt a

plan to monitor and improve indoor air quality. The Minnesota

Department of Education (MDE) has adopted the USEPA's Indoor Air

Quality Tools for Schools program as the basis for an effective IAQ

Management Plan.

1 United States Environmental Protection Agency. " Indoor Air Quality

Tools for Schools: Actions to Improve Indoor Air Quality " .

Publication # 402-F-99-008. September 1999.

What is an effective IAQ Management Plan? An effective IAQ

Management Plan is a comprehensive, district specific set of

policies and procedures established to maintain and improve indoor

air quality. An effective IAQ Management Plan must include:

an on-site certified IAQ Coordinator;

an overall evaluation (walkthrough) performed on all school district

buildings;

the evaluation of specific building systems (classrooms, ventilation

system, maintenance operations), using checklists or a comparable

method;

a written set of policies and schedules that describes ways to

correct the identified IAQ problems, prevent future problems from

arising, and respond to emergencies and concerns;

school board approval.

An effective IAQ Management Plan is designed to meet the goals and

needs of a specific school district. Expectations of an IAQ

Management Plan must be realistic and manageable so that commitment

from the school board, the administration, and staff can be

achieved. Effective IAQ Management Plans may also refer to other

written programs that could assist in maintaining good air quality

within school buildings, such as an Integrated Pest Management

program, or the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA)

management plan. .

What is the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Doing to Help

Schools Develop IAQ Management Plans? MDH in collaboration with MDE

and the University of Minnesota sponsored a series of ten training

sessions throughout Minnesota in 1997 and again in 2000. These

trainings provided USEPA Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools action

kits, instruction on the general principals of IAQ, and

implementation procedures for developing an IAQ Management Plan.

Currently, MDH has a grant from the USEPA to assist and track the

progress of schools that are developing IAQ Management Plans. MN

school districts' progress is summarized at our website. In

addition, MDH has created an IAQ Management Plan Development

Package, which includes a Model IAQ Management Plan. This Model Plan

covers the MN requirements for an effective and district-specific

management plan, and draws on information from existing plans for

Minnesota schools, the Tools for Schools program, and other

published articles.

The IAQ Management Plan Development Package consists of the

following:

a step-by-step guide to the development of a district specific plan;

checklists to be used to evaluate school buildings, classrooms,

ventilation systems, and maintenance activities;

written policies that can be tailored according to the specific

needs of the district; and

other resources that address specific issues.

MDH and MDE, in collaboration with other organizations, are

providing additional training sessions to discuss IAQ and orient

school staff to the state's requirements for school IAQ Management

Plans. To accommodate those school districts that need a certified

IAQ Coordinator to qualify for MDE health and safety funding, MDH

and MDE are planning annual IAQ Coordinator Trainings. In addition,

MDH is providing Model IAQ Management Plan workshops to help

qualified schools that need assistance in the development and

implementation of an effective IAQ Management Plan. These trainings

are announced to most school officials via email, and your email

address can be added to our mailing list by calling the Indoor Air

Unit. In addition, information will be posted on the Indoor Air Unit

website as trainings are organized.

MDH is also actively involved in providing practical and

scientifically sound information on mold and its proper remediation

in schools. MDH has developed a guidance document for mold

investigation in Minnesota schools, and is currently developing

guidelines for mold remediation. The mold investigation manual is

available upon request or can be found on our web site listed below.

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/schools/#safe