Word on the Street

AIHA Announces New Logo, Ethical Principles

Architect to Abate Asbestos Hazards below Capitol

Association Watch

Editorial -- Snake Oil or Good Science

IAQ and Schools -- Avoiding Possible IAQ Problems in the Summer

Sampling -- Benefits of Applying Moldiness Index Abound
 

Healthcare HVACR Designers Seek Certification
By Steve Sauer

More than 40 individuals experienced in designing heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration systems in healthcare facilities have applied to take a 115-question examination this month that could make them the world’s first people certified in the field.

The Healthcare Facility Design Professional, which is to debut during a live session held June 28 in Long Beach, Calif., is the first certification program to emerge from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.

This program’s initiation reflects a quick turnaround for ASHRAE, which announced only last July that it was exploring a system of certifications that would focus on this topic and others, like sustainability, commissioning and building operation. ASHRAE’s anticipated launch of the HFDP certification this month fulfills the original schedule laid out in that announcement nearly one year ago: that the program would be expected to launch in the summer of 2007.

A market research study ASHRAE conducted in 2005 had showed more than 80 percent of its members wanted the organization to certify people in specific areas. ASHRAE said last year that certifications it would establish would be “in response to member and market demand.”

“As you know, business these days moves fast,” ASHRAE education manager Joyce Abrams told IE Connections in May. “People have come to expect fast results. Think of high-speed internet, self-check outs in grocery stores and the Home Depot, and online banking. The market need was identified and pinpointed quickly, which meant that we needed to respond quickly.”

Abrams said over 40 people had applied to take the June HFDP exam by the original registration deadline of May 18, which was subsequently extended one week as is custom with ASHRAE events. “In the case of the HFDP exam specifically, we extended the deadline as a direct response to requests from potential candidates,” said Abrams.

The actual number of test takers on June 28 may be fewer than 40, however, as applications are subject to ASHRAE’s approval.

Eligibility requirements relate to academic and occupational experience. For instance, licensed professional engineers are eligible for the examination if they possess two years’ experience in healthcare HVAC&R design. Work experience requirements are most stringent for those with only a high school diploma or equivalent: They must have a minimum of 10 years’ experience in HVAC&R design, including at least seven specializing in HVAC&R design in healthcare facilities. Experience levels also vary for different types of higher education.

The certification is open to all qualified individuals regardless of their membership status in ASHRAE. Certificants are to comply with the organization’s code of ethics.

The timed HFDP exam is to be offered over two hours on the day after ASHRAE concludes its four-day meeting in Long Beach.

As part of the technical program of ASHRAE’s annual meeting, a two-part seminar on June 25 explores natural ventilation, including its role in preventing the spread of infectious disease in two Chinese hospitals. A technical forum on June 26 addresses the emerging use of lower dewpoint levels in hospital operating rooms, and other settings, to temper relative humidity levels.

“Of course, not everyone who intends to earn the certification is planning to attend the Annual Meeting in Long Beach,” said Abrams. Beginning this fall, future offerings of the exam are to take place at more than 150 testing locations of the Kansas-based corporation Applied Measurement Professionals Inc.

“Because the exam soon will be available in a computer-based format in testing centers across the United States and Canada and slightly later in other countries around the world, many people have indicated that they are waiting to take the test closer to home,” said Abrams. Collaborating on the technical content for the certification exams is the American Hospital Association, a division of the American Society for Healthcare Engineering, which cosponsored a 2004 IAQ symposium in Tampa with ASHRAE.

Dale Woodin, executive director for ASHE, described how ASHRAE’s new certification for healthcare facility designers complements ASHE’s four existing healthcare facility-related certifications. Those are geared toward facility managers, risk managers, environmental services professionals, and the managers of healthcare materials and resources.

Woodin, who is a certified healthcare facility manager, said each certification covers a parallel area. ASHRAE’s HFDP program fits in with the model, he said, adding that people who are certified tend to employ the services others bearing similar credentials.

ASHRAE’s Web site comments on the value of its certification to society, saying, “More knowledgeable engineers can design better HVAC&R systems for the betterment of society as a whole, for current generations and for generations to come. Earning an ASHRAE certification indicates mastery of a given body of knowledge, as determined by subject matter experts in that field.”

While the certification does not bear any third-party accreditation, Abrams said it was developed to be largely compliant with rules for accreditation from the American National Standards Institute and the National Commission for Certifying Agencies.

“As the staff liaison to ASHRAE’s Certification Committee and someone who has been involved in credentialing programs for many years, I have kept both the ANSI ... rules and the NCCA standards in mind throughout the process of developing our certification programs,” said Abrams. “The Committee has seen both sets of guidelines and agrees that we have stayed on-target, with a few exceptions that can be addressed later.”

“I am told that although ASHRAE has not applied for third party accreditation for the [HFDP] program at this time, we have developed the program so that it would meet accreditation requirements,” said Jodi Dunlop, ASHRAE public relations manager. “Whether to apply for accreditation, and, if so, with whom, has not been decided. However, ASHRAE recognizes the benefits of third party accreditation, as exemplified by our obtaining ANSI accreditation of our standards.”

“Hypothetically speaking,” said Abrams, “even if the programs are never submitted for third party accreditation, the ANSI rules and NCCA standards are pedagogically sound, so designing a program that could meet these requirements helps to ensure high quality. We can meet or exceed ‘industry standard’ without actually getting the accreditation.”

Asked why ASHRAE has not submitted the program for third-party accreditation prior to its debut, Abrams replied, “Several of the reasons that we have not yet submitted our first program for accreditation are related to the fact that the accreditation process requires a significant commitment of resources.

“The documentation required by ANSI, for example, can be voluminous, and the direct costs for submission are in the thousands of dollars,” Abrams continued. “We want to launch the first program very quickly, without losing any quality. So, as we balance our resources – especially people and time – we are focusing on the substance of the program, particularly the examination.”

The HFDP examination fee is $275 for ASHRAE members and $395 for nonmembers. The certification itself is good for three years before it must be renewed.

For comparison purposes, the American Indoor Air Quality Council currently offers eight third-party-accredited certifications, with higher fees of $300 for members of the Indoor Air Quality Association and $400 for nonmembers. IAQ Council certifications are valid for one less year before recertification applies.

“From a philosophical perspective, if accreditation does not add enough to the marketability and credibility of the program, then the cost of accreditation may outweigh the potential benefits,” said Abrams. “Of course, the benefits may very well outweigh the costs – but that cost-benefit analysis has not yet been completed.”


 

Word on the Street

CHALK UP ANOTHER VICTORY FOR THE HYGIENE HYPOTHESIS
Those extolling the virtues of early exposure to allergens will take refuge in a new study presented at an international conference last month. The higher the amount of endotoxin in homes, the less likely children under 3 were to develop either wheezing or eczema, say researchers from the Arizona Respiratory Center in Tucson, Ariz. Carpeting, a musty indoor smell, and interior wall leaks are among household factors that suggest endotoxin exposure, said researcher Melissa P. Celaya, who presented the study during a May 20 poster session at the American Thoracic Society’s conference in San Francisco. Such environmental factors – which also include substandard home conditions and having homes that are more than 30 years old – influence the incidence of wheeze and eczema in children. The study followed children through age 5 and focused on correlating environmental and immunological factors. Celaya said the researchers intend to study the possible role of genetic predisposition in a child’s responses to environmental triggers.

THE UNINTENDED EFFECT OF INDOOR SMOKING BANS
At some places where indoor smoking bans have taken effect, the air inside is noticeably cleaner. Still, the air outside building entrances can suffer when the smoking ban does not extend to immediately adjacent areas. In a separate session held during the American Thoracic Society’s international conference, Dr. Luke Naeher of the University of Georgia addressed the clustering of smokers in that college town. “You can have 40 to 50 smokers in a small area, which translates to fairly aggressive exposures to secondhand smoke, even if it’s outside,” said Naeher. “We want to know what those exposures are, and if it’s unhealthy, we want to tell policy makers who are making decisions about these regulations.” Some lawmakers have passed smoking restrictions not just indoors but also within a certain distance of no-smoking establishments. MOLD INSPECTION TO BE DESCRIBED ON TV
The moisture and mold management inspection services offered by Environmental Service Professionals are to be described in a media campaign, according to a company press release issued May 14. ESP, which purchased the Allstate Home Inspections franchise in January, is to be the subject of a media campaign beginning this month by Clearvision Productions, a Hollywood company that makes and distributes video news releases intended for inclusion in television newscasts. As described by David Alvarado of Clearvision, the plan is to target various media outlets – TV, radio and newspapers – “to build brand awareness with the public and business community.” Environmental Service Professionals CEO Ed Torres added that the campaign would bring attention to the company’s Certified Environmental Home Inspector and Mold and Moisture Maintenance programs. A pair of Center for Media and Democracy studies released last year find that TV newscasts airing video news releases often fail to disclose that they are prepackaged material funded by the company spotlighted in them.

CHAPTERS APLENTY
Milwaukee, Wis., and Chicago, Ill., are the newest cities to be approved for the expansion of the Indoor Air Quality Association’s chapter program. Wane Baker is the chapter director in Milwaukee chapter, and David Zeidner leads the Windy City’s. These newest locations, approved at the end of April, closely followed two additions in March, when Chuck Molyneaux opened the chapter in Hampton Roads, Va., and Craig Camel started another in Philadelphia, Pa. Chapter membership is included in the cost of IAQA membership, giving all members automatic access to these local chapters. Their educational workshops, usually held two to four times a year, typically consist of half- or full-day presentations from industry leaders. Camel’s hosted its initial chapter workshop last month, with guest speaker Glenn Fellman, IAQA executive director and IE Connections publisher. Chapter workshops also provide an environment for the exchange of ideas and contacts, as well as certification renewal credits for attendees holding American IAQ Council certifications. Chapters in the United States currently exist in 41 metropolitan areas in 28 states, as well as one in Toronto, Canada, and another in Hong Kong. For more information, contact Ben Auman, IAQA chapter relations manager, by e-mail at IAQben@aol.com or by phone at (301) 231-8388 ext. 20.

COMMENTS WANTED ON EPA AUDIT POLICY
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is seeking comments on how a policy that offers reduced penalties to companies for self-disclosing environmental violations should apply to the new owners of recently acquired facilities. The audit policy offers reduced penalties to companies that self-police their programs, promptly disclose and correct any violations discovered, and take steps to prevent future violations.

“Our top priority is to protect the environment and public health. We have a variety of tools and options to do that,” said Granta Nakayama, assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “New owners of recently acquired facilities that come forward to make a ‘clean start’ can address their environmental issues and make changes to ensure they stay in compliance and reduce pollutants going forward.”

Companies with newly acquired facilities can use the audit policy to examine their performance and work with EPA to come into compliance with environmental laws. Since 1995, more than 3,000 companies have disclosed and resolved violations at over 9,000 facilities under this policy. EPA is seeking input from the public on how best to encourage new owners to use the audit policy. EPA will accept written comments until July 13; for instructions on submitting comments, visit www.epa.gov/compliance.

In addition to encouraging new owners to participate, EPA is also considering ways to make it easier for companies to disclose violations. In the near future, the EPA will be developing a system that would allow companies to disclose certain violations through an EPA Web site.

Next Month
The newly formed Green Mechanical Council is at the forefront of a movement to engage mechanical contractors in realizing their role in climate change. Board Chairman Dan Chiles writes in the July issue about the daunting task of “retrofitting HVAC systems in our existing 130 million buildings. ... It’s not glamorous and it’s not architectural. It’s a dirty job, but if we are to meet the coming mandates for smaller carbon emissions and reduced impact on air and water quality, somebody’s gotta do it.”

AIHA Announces New Logo, Ethical Principles
By Steve Sauer

A document of ethical principles for members of professional industrial hygiene associations has been finalized, its implementation coinciding with one association’s debut of a new logo and public emphasis on occupational health. During a time when the American Industrial Hygiene Association rolls out a fresh marketing initiative with a sharp focus on “Protecting Worker Health,” the association also replaces a longstanding code of ethics for members with the new set of guiding ethical principles. The document, approved by ballot last month by AIHA’s board and those of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists and AIHA’s Academy of Industrial Hygiene, applies to members of those three nonprofits.

A redesigned AIHA logo and stated core focus on “Protecting Worker Health” were scheduled to make their debut during the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Expo, held in Philadelphia during the opening days of June. The event is cosponsored annually by ACGIH.

The code of ethics that the new document replaces also previously applied to those certified by the credentialing body in the field of industrial hygiene. That code of ethics is being revised to act as an enforceable code applicable to recipients of the two American Board of Industrial Hygiene certifications, the Certified Industrial Hygienist and Certified Associate Industrial Hygienist.

The code of ethics, originally adopted in the 1980s and updated in 1995, consists of six “canons of ethical conduct.” The set of ethical principles outlines expectations the organizations have for members, offering a list that, in itself, holds no bombshells – no new restrictions on actions frowned upon by the code of ethics, and no omissions that would encourage behavior previously in violation of the code.

However, the ethical principles for members are intended only to serve as guidance and not be enforceable. “The member ethical principles document is more of an affirmation-based code of ethics than the new ABIH Code of Ethics, which is enforceable,” said AIHA Assistant Executive Director Peter O’Neil.

The organizations have been preparing the public for this distinction for months. A joint letter in December from all professional industrial hygiene organizations said ABIH said was separately developing “new, enforceable membership ethical standards and complaint procedures” – a code meant to “identify appropriate professional conduct standards” and “bind all ABIH certificants to specific, minimum rules of behavior.”

One word absent in the transition from the code of ethics to the ethical principles is “shall,” which is often used in standards and guidelines to indicate mandatory actions. In its place is the word “should,” which in the same settings implies a voluntary action. The two main sections of the ethical principles document pertain to a member’s responsibilities to the profession and its professional associations, and also to clients, employers and employees. Both sets also deal with members’ responsibilities to the public.

The responsibilities to the profession are about satisfying organizational rules. A section of four numbered items is devoted to conflicts of interest, a topic that has been getting an increased amount of attention throughout the IAQ industry throughout recent months.

Under the guidelines, “members should ... disclose to clients or employers significant circumstances that could be construed as a conflict of interest, or an appearance of impropriety”; “avoid conduct that could cause a conflict of interest with a client, employer, employee, or the public”; “assure that a conflict of interest does not compromise legitimate interests of a client, employer, employee, or the public and does not influence/interfere with professional judgments”; and “refrain from offering, or accepting inappropriate payments, gifts, or other forms of compensation or benefits in order to secure work, or that are intended to influence professional judgment.”

Another industry organization tweaking the ethical principles that apply to its members is the Indoor Air Quality Association, which governs its members through a document it calls the Code of Ethics. Attempting to deal specifically with the ethical dilemma of professional members in the mold and IAQ arenas performing both contracting and consulting on the same jobs, IAQA created a special interest committee in February to explore possible changes in code.

The committee has created three smaller groups, each responsible for one of three tasks, including creating a draft amendment to the Code of Ethics and creating “a disclosure form for people to use in case they get into a conflict of interest,” committee chair Ian Cull told IE Connections last month. He said a draft position paper, created by a third subcommittee, was circulating among advisers to the committee with a request for feedback.

In AIHA’s new marketing plan replacing the older logo and tagline of “Your Essential Connection,” the new slogan intends to communicate more clearly the essential role of industrial hygienists in protecting the health of “a growing number of external audiences including allied professions, government, media, and business leaders.”

Dr. Frank M. Renshaw, AIHA president, said in a statement on April 24 that the new brand, including the tagline of “Protecting Worker Health,” reflects a collaborative approach toward creativity drawing in the points of view of many stakeholders over a long time period.

“AIHA member opinions, attitudes, and observations drove the creative process, beginning with four focus groups conducted at the 2005 American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition,” he said. “Data from those sessions was analyzed by Washington, D.C.-based marketing consultant McKinley Marketing Inc.”

The association said input also came “at several important steps” from its public relations staff and a representative group of members it called “a stakeholder sounding board.” In addition, “a messaging analysis report by communications consultancy Hill & Knowlton supported development of the logo and tagline,” AIHA said.

“Collective input” from the stakeholders was translated by the Alexandria, Va., firm PCI Communications “into this visual representation to reflect the core attributes of protection, community, knowledge, and credibility,” AIHA said.

AIHA is not the only IAQ-related organization to have pursued a modified public image of late. Most recently, the Association of Specialists in Cleaning and Restoration, or ASCR International, switched its name on Feb. 16 to become the Restoration Industry Association, or RIA. Along with the change of name and a new logo, the association will attempt to strengthen its grip on all aspects of restoration, including that of buildings, mechanical systems, rugs, carpets and textiles.

The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification has been engaged in meetings dedicated to its Long Range Plan, according to a column published in May by President Ruth Travis, who describes the IICRC’s first objective as being “the Unifying Voice for the Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration/Remediation Industry.”

IICRC is one of a few IAQ-related organizations that has successfully achieved accreditation from the American National Standards Institute as a standards-writing body – a list that also includes the Indoor Environmental Standards Organization. IICRC has published one standard under its ANSI-accredited capacity and is currently pursuing the publication of a second. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association is currently seeking ANSI accreditation.

In December, ACGIH had released a long-range strategic plan that includes plans to begin serving as the “dominant resource for the integration and exchange of scientific and technical knowledge” for its members. Two other main goals outlined in the ACGIH plan are to become “a leading source for information and knowledge about occupational and environmental health” and “a powerful force for creating an environment to improve worker health.”

AIHA, in its press release in April, offered two rejected terms from its proposed tagline revisions, “environment” and “community.” The association said new visual identities would be phased in on all AIHA publications, including its Web site and The Synergist, throughout 2007.

SIDEBAR for page 15:
Joint Industrial Hygiene Associations Member Ethical Principles Approved May 2007

The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), and AIHA’s Academy of Industrial Hygiene (AIH) are nonprofit voluntary professional membership associations dedicated to the advancement of the field of industrial hygiene, and the protection of health and safety. Therefore, the IH Professional Associations support quality professional standards and practices, and expect members to meet such standards. In support of these important purposes, the IH Professional Associations promote ethical professional practices and strongly encourage members to understand ethical responsibilities. As a matter of professional competence and public confidence, members are expected to conduct themselves consistent with applicable ethics standards, including those of the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH). Accordingly, the IH Professional Associations have adopted the following member ethical principles in order to guide the members, support the profession, and protect health and safety.

• I. Responsibilities to the Professional Organizations, the Profession and the Public.
• A. In order to satisfy organizational and legal policies and rules, members should:
1. Comply with laws, regulations, policies, and ethical standards governing professional practice of industrial hygiene and related activities, including those of professional associations and credentialing organizations.
2. Provide accurate and truthful information to professional associations and credentialing organizations.
3. Cooperate with professional associations and credentialing organizations concerning ethics matters and the collection of information related to an ethics matter.
4. Report apparent violations of applicable professional organizations’ ethical standards to appropriate organizations and agencies upon a reasonable and clear factual basis.
5. Refrain from any public behavior that is clearly in violation of accepted professional, ethical or legal standards.
6. Promote equal opportunity and diversity in professional activities.
7. Support and disseminate the association’s ethics principles to other professionals.
• II. Responsibilities to Clients, Employers, Employees and the Public.
• A. In order to provide ethical professional services, members should:
1. Deliver competent services in a timely manner, and with objective and independent professional judgment in decision-making.
2. Recognize the limitations of one’s professional ability, and provide services only when qualified. The member is responsible for determining the limits of his/her own professional abilities based on education, knowledge, skills, practice experience, and other relevant considerations.
3. Provide appropriate professional referrals when unable to provide competent professional assistance.
4. Maintain and respect the confidentiality of sensitive information obtained in the course of professional or related activities unless: the information pertains to an illegal activity; a court or governmental agency lawfully directs the release of the information; the client/employer expressly authorizes the release of specific information; or, the failure to release such information would likely result in death or serious physical harm to employees and/or the public.
5. Properly use professional credentials and provide truthful and accurate representations concerning education, experience, competency and the performance of services.
6. Provide truthful and accurate representations to the public in advertising, public statements/representations, and in the preparation of estimates concerning costs, services, and expected results.
7. Recognize and respect the intellectual property rights of others, and act in an accurate, truthful, and complete manner, including activities related to professional work and research.
8. Affix or authorize the use of one’s seal, stamp or signature only when the document is prepared by the certificant/candidate or someone under his/her direction and control.
9. Refrain from business activities and practices that unlawfully restrict competition.
• B. In order to satisfy organizational policies and legal requirements concerning possible conflicts of interest and similar issues, members should:
1. Disclose to clients or employers significant circumstances that could be construed as a conflict of interest, or an appearance of impropriety.
2. Avoid conduct that could cause a conflict of interest with a client, employer, employee, or the public.
3. Assure that a conflict of interest does not compromise legitimate interests of a client, employer, employee, or the public and does not influence/interfere with professional judgments.
4. Refrain from offering, or accepting inappropriate payments, gifts, or other forms of compensation or benefits in order to secure work, or that are intended to influence professional judgment.
• C. In order to satisfy organizational policies and legal requirements concerning public health and safety, members should:
1. Follow appropriate health and safety procedures in the course of performing professional work to protect clients, employers, employees, and the public from conditions where injury and damage are reasonably foreseeable.
2. Inform appropriate management representatives and/or governmental bodies of violations of legal and regulatory requirements when obligated or otherwise clearly appropriate.
3. Make reasonable efforts to ensure that the results of industrial hygiene assessments are communicated to exposed populations.
4. Source: American Industrial Hygiene Association

Snake Oil or Good Science
Richard J. Shaughnessy, Ph.D.
Program Director
University of Tulsa Indoor Air Program Tulsa, Okla.

Bradley Turk
President Environmental Building Sciences Inc.
Las Vegas, N.M.

1. Leave the moist cold concrete walls and floors exposed and run a high capacity commercial dehumidifier (such as a Thermastor unit, which gets you 140 pints of water a day for 10 amps of power) and drain it to a sump.
    
2. Somehow heat the area to a surface temperature clearly above the dewpoint temperature. (Good luck warming up earth-contact concrete unless it’s a radiant heated floor.) These above two principles apply to tunnels and cold boiler rooms also.
    
3. If it applies, make the area an improvement or betterment project and properly insulate the room walls and floors from the cold concrete with suitable permeable foam sheeting and suitable non-cellulose based interior finish materials, and you still may need a dehumidifier depending on the climate and the specifics of the moisture saturation in the concrete. While you are doing all this, remember to not make the mistake of putting conventional carpeting down over a damp basement floor (or a floor that has a high vapor-emission rate).

1. Figure out how to drain away any standing water, or raise the level of the crawlspace floor above the standing water if the groundwater cannot be lowered and you have room to raise the floor. Grout mixtures will work and are deliverable by a concrete company and affordable.
    
2. Once you know you have the floor of the crawlspace above the seasonal high-water table, a radon-type sub-membrane venting system can be installed by most local radon-mitigation contractors. Remember to use a suitable smoke and flame-rated high-strength poly sheeting (typically used for scaffolding) and fasten the poly well at the perimeter and at all columns. Yes, clean out all the junk in the crawlspace first.
    
3. Once you have the moisture from under the poly and the walls captured by the radon exhaust fan, the final phase is to locate a high-capacity dehumidifier, designed for crawlspaces, within the crawlspace to keep it dry from any dampness that arrives from outdoor air. Again, a Thermastor or similar, high capacity, high efficiency unit made for crawlspaces should work well, just run the drainhose to a capped sump and pump it out, if you leave it to evaporate, you are not really removing it from the space, which is the mission. 4.) If you are in a cold climate budget some funds to insulate the walls of the crawlspace now or at some point in the future, with a suitable insulation material that does not absorb moisture, and is protected from ignition.