What is IEQ?

In February, we considered the big picture, for March, we are providing more detail on the specifics of the factors affecting your building’s health.

In this whitepaper:

Introduction
Does the law impact IEQ?
1. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)?
2. Water Quality
3. Occupancy comfort levels
4. Other factors

Introduction

Indoor environment quality (IEQ) is all about keeping our buildings healthy. But what are the factors that affect a buildings indoor environment quality (IEQ), and what can be done to improve and maintain it?

Does the law impact IEQ?

What do we have to do legally is (and has been) a statement that’s seen IEQ and IAQ omitted from the scope of testing/management information, as a ‘nice to have’ but not essential.

It remains untrue however, with various pieces of legislation impacting the workplace environment. These include:

• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 - with employers having duties to both employees and others in protecting their health, safety and welfare and in particular Section 2(2)e ‘the provision and maintenance of a working environment for his employees that is, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe, without risks to health, and adequate as regards facilities and arrangements for their welfare at work.’
• Control of substances hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/2677) - requiring employers to adequately control exposure to materials in the workplace that cause ill health, and could cover dusts, gases or fumes, liquids, powders and micro-organisms.
• Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/3004) - captures aspects such as ventilation (Regulation 6), temperature of the indoor workplace (Regulation 7), Lighting (Regulation 8), cleanliness (Regulation 9) and workstation and seating (Regulation 11), with the intention to protect the health and safety of everyone in the workplace, and ensure that adequate welfare facilities are provided for people at work.
• The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/2792) - as well as the elements of workstation, equipment and software, “environment” covers aspects such as lighting, air, heating and noise.
• The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/1643) - places a duty on employers to assess and reduce the risk to employee’s health by controlling the noise they are exposed to whilst at work.
• HSE Stress Management Standards - under the ‘Demands’ in addition to workload and work patterns, the work environment is covered and ‘Employees’ concerns about their work environment are addressed.’
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/3242) - place a set of duties on employers and employees to maintain a safe and healthy workplace, including risk assessment, principles of prevention, health and safety arrangements and health surveillance.

Particularly with the growth in wellbeing, IEQ is a factor for moral and reputational risk management, as well as legal for today’s organisations.

1. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)?

Your IAQ needs to determine the levels of dusts/particulate material, microorganisms and gases in your building. While all IAQ will be dependent on the constituents of outside air, it will be affected by the ventilation system(s) (forced or natural) you have in place, as well as anything generated internally by the activities in the workplace.

For most workplaces a combination of three elements will need to be considered when determining IAQ and your strategy for managing it, these being ventilation, occupation and activity. Each has an effect over the conditions likely to be achieved and so what type of controls should be adopted.

Documents such as EH40/2005, workplace exposure limits, provide reference for specific chemical and dusts that may be present either in the circulating air or generated through processes and activities. Levels of occupation can influence the levels of general contaminants (dusts, fibres, etc.) and also Carbon dioxide levels for example. Finally, ventilation style and type will influence your ability to deliver clean air into the space, as well as extract ‘stale’ air from it.

Testing, sampling and inspection work could cover, for example:

• Dusts/particles in the form of direct particle counts and/or gravimetric weight analysis of supply and circulating air and filtration efficiency measurements.
• Microorganism sampling in supply air;
• Gases, covering external pollutants such as Carbon monoxide and Radon (in relevant situations), Carbon dioxide (CO2) - reflecting occupancy and ventilation rates and internally generated pollutants such as VOCs;
• Outdoor air sampling as a reference against relevant parameters; and
• Inspection of the physical air handling units, ducting and terminal units.

Other considerations for your regime should cover the quality and fitment of the filters and maintenance of the installed air handling units (as well as type and distribution system), occupancy levels and activities (as well as any other potentially influencing environmental factors such as recent decoration, new furnishings and refurbishments). Where possible the testing undertaken should be accredited/certified.

In addition to the points around ventilation type, filtration (as relevant) and pollution control mentioned last month (link?) assessing and monitoring your workplace air quality is a key component of understanding and promoting what you’re doing.

2. Water Quality

Testing and sampling of your systems and services, as well as their thorough inspection should form a further part of your IEQ management.

As well as sampling for general bacterial activity and temperature measurements, additional specific requirements should include:

• Coliform and E.coli testing of drinking water services including from water dispensers, and vending machines. Additional testing for Pseudomonas may also be carried out;
• Legionella testing from relevant systems or as other parameters, such as temperature and condition dictate;
• Chemical analysis of water from treated sources, such as process water systems and evaporative cooling systems.
• Inspection of the tanks, vessels, pipework and outlets for condition, leaks, damage, etc.; and
• Services should also be monitored for usage to minimise stagnation of the water within.

Water sampling and testing work should not be carried in isolation or a random programme, but as part of an integrated process combining the various disciplines and targeted to reflect the system as a whole and some systems have specific parameters to be tested/sampled against a written scheme of control.

3. Occupancy comfort levels

Managing occupancy comfort is truly multi-faceted, not only is much of it interrelated, but occupants’ perceptions and their individual comfort requirements can vary. At its most extreme, as with air and water quality, poor comfort conditions can lead to ill health, but much more often it is complaints or dissatisfaction that is the outcome. There is a plethora of guidance on what comfort levels should be and actual control will of course depend on the types of systems you have in place.

Considering comfort parameters, as well as individually, is important in assessing and so achieving optimum conditions. For example, complaints of headaches could be the result of high CO2 levels, raised temperature, poor lighting or even a combination of these factors. Feeling too hot, as well as temperature could again be elevated CO2 levels, poor airflow, high humidity or a combination of these effects. So, your management needs to recognise and reflect this.

Today’s more dynamic occupation of buildings brings further challenges. If comfort levels are going to be maintained systems need to actively compensate for increased and reduced levels of staffing while remaining in balance. Levels of recirculation (as applicable), fan speeds and runtimes will all need to be considered.Setting defined parameters for your buildings comfort and agreeing these with the occupants provides a clear mechanism for establishing your performance levels. Examples of these would include and consider:

• Temperature/ thermal comfort – UK guidance suggests for workplaces a minimum of 16°C or 13°C if employees are doing physical work (HSE). While there is no upper maximum recommended, indoor operative temperatures over 28°C for long periods can lead to issues. In general circulating air temperatures of between 21°C and 23°C are recommended for typical indoor work environments.
• Humidity - CIBSE recommends a relative humidity range of 40-60% in dwellings and air-conditioned buildings, and 40-70% elsewhere.
• Airflow velocity and air movement – A general (whole building) minimum ventilation rate of 10 l·s-1 per person for offices is considered in approved document F (England and Wales). Airflow velocities in circulating air should ideally be around the 1.0 m·s-1 for comfort and movement and not exceed 3.0 m·s-1. Systems should be balanced to eliminate dead-spots and draughts.

• Noise – For general noise levels in different workplace environments, ranges of between 35dB(A) and 50dB(A) have been identified as typical. Increases of possibly 5dB(A) above the normal background may cause a nuisance, although workplaces will naturally have varying noise levels throughout the day. From a health perspective the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 require employers to take specific action where certain action values are reached, these are:
  
  • Lower exposure action values:
    
    • Daily or weekly exposure of 80 dB(A)
    • Peak sound pressure of 135 dB(C)
  • Upper exposure action values:
    
    • Daily or weekly exposure of 85 dB(A)
    • Peak sound pressure of 137 dB(C)
• Lighting – Guidance for offices activities, computer work, etc is 300-500lux, although this can increase where greater visually clarity is needed (drawing offices for example). Lighting in other areas, transition routes and loading bays for instance, can lower than this (100-300lux). As well as having, good well zoned and flexible lighting, using the natural daylight available to you can also benefit occupants.

4. Other factors

Other factors and wider considerations with establishing good IEQ include:

• Ergonomic workspace – Adjustable desks, chairs with lumbar support, well set up IT equipment and good software will help enhance user experience and help reduce musculoskeletal issues.
• Agile office layout and design – Good and flexible space design, incorporating a range of options (such as collaborative zones and quiet areas). Clear signage and wayfinding, as well as an inclusive design to accommodate all building users.
• Biophilia – The use of indoor plants, natural materials, and an ability access to outdoor green spaces.
• Technology and smart systems – Integrating smart and automated building management systems and information and ergonomic tools to enhance user experience and effective building management.
• Policies and culture – Having appropriate policies for health and safety, inclusivity and work arrangements, where you can set the expectation for the building indoor environment quality and provide information and feedback on performance.
• Workplace monitoring - Instigating a programme of independent, accredited monitoring of your workplace environment covering aspects such as IAQ, occupant comfort and water quality, will provide the evidence you need to support your building management. It provides you and your building users with the reassurance that your building is safe and healthy.

In summary, the indoor environment quality of our places of work will continue to have a significant and growing impact on the satisfaction and productivity of users. Having in place credible performance information on what is being achieved will in turn play a very important role for those responsible for managing those buildings.

Assurity Consulting is the UK’s leading independent consultancy specialising in workplace health, safety and environmental solutions. As your partner in compliance management you will reap the benefit of our more than 35 years’ experience of helping customers across a range of different sectors – manage their compliance responsibilities as effectively as possible. If you need any help with your health, safety or environmental compliance, or if you would like more information on the services Assurity Consulting offer, please get in touch.

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