Plan on Good IAQ

In facilities, you have to have a plan in place for everything and maintaining good indoor air quality is no different. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind when establishing an indoor air quality compliance plan for your facility. Your plan should include at least 11 sections:

1. Policy: Indoor air quality position statement, procurement policy, smoking policy, etc.



2. Action Plan: This is a schedule of indoor air quality activities, such as remediation projects and monitoring.



3. Responsibility Chart: Outlines the groups or individuals in charge of maintaining indoor air quality and their responsibilities.



4. Occupant Complaint Response: Outlines the protocol to address occupant complaints.



5. Risk Communication: This section describes how risk communications will be handled in various situations, if there is a single spokesperson or different point people depending on the audience (media, internal staff, etc.).



6. Standard Operating Procedures: This includes safety, operating, inspection, maintenance and housekeeping procedures.



7. Special Operating Procedures: Moisture damage, renovation and investigation procedures.



8. Monitoring: This section outlines the periodic audit process and the measurable parameter targets.



9. Occupant Responsibilities: Describes occupant responsibilities and practices to avoid.



10. Training and Education: Describes the ongoing indoor air quality training program.



11. Documentation: Outlines the required ongoing documentation and reference documentation - such as as-built drawings, operation and maintenance manuals, narrative descriptions of the building and HVAC systems, test and balance report, etc.)

Because relevant indoor air quality standards of care will evolve, your set of specific building protocols will be added to and amended over time. Indoor air quality issues can quickly balloon into big headaches if not tended to quickly. Having a plan in place, following it and updating it as necessary will show the facilities department has done their due diligence, which could possibly help to shield the department from adverse legal action.

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