Why Monitoring Indoor Air Quality Should Be Standard Practice

Why Indoor Air Quality Monitoring Should Be Standard Practice

UK Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), has welcomed intervention from Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer, who has called for offices and public buildings, including schools, supermarkets, and hospitals, to be regularly monitored for indoor air pollutants.  

Whitty has stated that indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring should be a standard practice for building owners and operators in the UK. In their recent article, BESA highlights the importance of IAQ monitoring and the negative impacts that poor IAQ can have on the health, wellbeing, and productivity of building occupants. This also emphasises the need for building owners to comply with legal obligations related to IAQ, including monitoring ventilation systems and ensuring that they are working efficiently to provide adequate fresh air to indoor spaces.

Poorly maintained ventilation systems can contribute to poor IAQ, which can lead to health problems such as respiratory issues and allergies. To improve indoor air quality, building owners in the UK should ensure that ventilation systems are cleaned and maintained regularly. This includes cleaning air filters, replacing worn or damaged components, and ensuring that the systems are working as efficiently as possible.

In addition to maintaining ventilation systems, there are several other steps that building owners in the UK can take to improve indoor air quality. These include increasing ventilation rates, using natural ventilation, reducing indoor pollution sources, and using air-cleaning devices.

To ensure compliance with legal obligations related to IAQ and ventilation, building owners and managers in the UK should also consider monitoring IAQ and ventilation system performance. This can help to identify potential problems and ensure that the system is working as it should be.

The UK government has launched several initiatives to help building owners and operators improve IAQ and comply with legal obligations. These include the IAQ measurement program, which provides guidance on how to monitor IAQ and interpret the results, and the Clean Air Strategy, which aims to reduce air pollution across the country.

Monitoring indoor air quality and ensuring that ventilation systems are properly maintained is essential. By taking steps to improve indoor air quality, building owners can ensure the health and well-being of their occupants, comply with legal obligations, and improve the productivity of their buildings and the occupants within them.

To ensure your ventilation systems aren’t a contributing factor to poor air quality within your building, it is essential to have them regularly cleaned to maintain fresh air supply, reduce unforeseen fire hazards and remove airborne contaminants.

Remember, ventilation cleaning must be carried out in compliance with legal frameworks and workplace health and safety specifications, something not all ventilation cleaning specialists can guarantee. Here at System Hygienics, you can be sure all works carried out meet the requirements of leading guidance by BESA TR19®.