Evaluation of Indoor Environmental Quality and Health Concerns in a Juvenile Court Building

Details

• Personal Author:
  Broadwater, Kendra R. ; Burr, Gregory A. ; Chiu, Sophia ; Li, Jessica F. ; Page, Elena H.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  The employer at a juvenile court and detention building requested help in evaluating exposure to raw sewage, leaks from an underground diesel storage tank, and mold. We evaluated these concerns and measured carbon dioxide, temperature, relative humidity, and ventilation airflow. We saw no evidence of a current mold or sewage problem in the building. The underground diesel storage tank was inspected and maintained. However, we identified several correctable problems including inadequate building ventilation and a lack of up-to-date building plans to help maintain the ventilation systems. Carbon dioxide levels were high in some offices. Temperatures in offices and courtrooms were not within recommended comfort guidelines. Many employee symptoms, such as sinus problems and headaches, are associated with damp buildings or inadequate ventilation. But these symptoms are also common in the general population. We found no evidence that other health problems, such as cancer, gallstones, and thyroid problems, were related to working in the building.
• Subjects:
  Air Pollutants, Occupational Air Pollution, Indoor Fuel Oils Fungi Hydrogen Sulfide Microbiology Occupational Health Safety Ventilation
• Keywords:
  Courts Diesel Fuels Fumes Hydrogen Sulfide IAQ IEQ Indoor Air Pollution Indoor Air Quality Indoor Environmental Quality Indoor Environments Microorganisms Mold Molds OSHA Region 4 Tennessee Ventilation Systems

  More +
• Source:
  Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, HHE 2015-0183-3255, 2016 Jun ; :1-23
• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHHE201501833255
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Tennessee ; OSHA Region 4
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  30 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Booher, Donald E. ; Fill, Mary-Margaret ; Galloway, Ellen ; Moore, Kevin ; Watts, Shawna
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20048254
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2016-104163
• Citation:
  NIOSH [2016]. Evaluation of indoor environmental quality and health concerns in a ; juvenile court building. By Page E, Broadwater K, Chiu S, Li JF, Burr G. Cincinnati, ; OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control ; and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Health Hazard Evaluation Report 2015-0183-3255,
• CAS Registry Number:
  Carbon dioxide (CAS RN 124-38-9) ; Hydrogen sulfide (CAS RN 7783-06-4)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2016
• NORA Priority Area:
  Services
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  922110 - Courts - (NAICS)
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:3feb4fce4482bf0bbcdab6740261c0d30b6759ddccd851a6117c360a9222201ece5b3ce7d56dccb645fddff9082dcf6724c35ae23bc0bce73192e94bce3224ea
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/172410/cdc_172410_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 890.70 KB ]