AE 211 Quiz 2 Flashcards
Hazard
ex. shark, smoking; something that could cause harm – without respect to probability
Risk
ex. swimming with sharks or smoking has a specific fatality rate; probability that a hazard will produce a harmful outcome
Voluntary vs. Involuntary Risk
voluntary: assumed freely; could easily be avoided
involuntary: assumed out of necessity; no alternatives available
Liability
risk assumed by professionals; Consequence of designing products whose performance or failure to perform may cause injury or property damage
Standard of Care
the degree of care a reasonable person would take to prevent an injury to another; that level or quality of service ordinarily provided by other normally competent practitioners of good standing in that field, contemporaneously providing similar services in the same locality and under the same circumstances.
Impacts of Inadequate IAQ
Dissatisfaction with indoor environment
Diminished productivity
Health effects: Allergies and asthma, Chronic disease, Cancer, Acute toxicity, Infectious disease, effects for 7.8% of population with asthma, 25% with allergies healthcare associated infections
Types of Hazards
Natural
Intentional Acts
Building Related
Nasopharyngeal/head airways
nostrils to larynx (throat)
heat and humidity control; nose-breathing for light activity, mouth for more intense activity, sneezing defense
deposition peaks at 10 micrometers and .001 micrometers
Tracheobronchial
trachea (windpipe), bronchi (two big branches), bronchioles (little branches)
ducts, cilia, divides 20-25 times before alveoli
deposition peaks between .01 micrometers and .001 micrometers
Pulmonary/Alveolar
lungs, alveoli
gas exchange with blood, 300-500 million, 143 square meters, coughing defense
deposition peaks around .01 micrometers
Types of dosage
Exposure- how much present in environment
Inhaled- how much reaches lungs
Absorbed- how much taken into body
Inhalation Rate
peaks at about 16 cubic meters per day 16-21 years old,, multiply by exposure rate to get inhaled rate
Particle deposition
varies depending on particle size and location, peaks in general at about 10 micrometers and under .01 micrometers
Types of Air Contaminants
Particles Gases- asphyxiants, toxic Aerosols- inorganic or bioaerosols Microorganisms general effects: asphyxiation, eye and skin irritation, respiratory disease, systemic disease (infection/organ damage)
Sick Building Syndrome
hard to diagnose, but generally involve large numbers of occupants showing symptoms that lessen when removed from the building
symptoms include Sensory irritation of eye, nose and throat; Skin irritation; Odor and taste; Non-specific hypersensitivity reactions
30% of new or renovated buildings in 1984
causes include building materials, maintenance, and equipment emissions
Loss
fatalities, injuries, lost workdays, illnesses; usually measured per unit of activity (deaths/mile of track laid)
Gaseous Air Contaminants
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Semi-VOCs
Ozone
Radon
VOCs
come from building materials
irritation, organ damage, cancer, neurotoxicity, mucous membrane irritation, asthma
Formaldehyde, napthalene, chloroform, benzene…
SVOCs
less volatile (harder to turn into vapors), more surfaces and particles endocrine disruptors, asthma trigger, neurotoxicity plasticizers, fire retardants, pesticides
SVOCs
less volatile (harder to turn into vapors), more surfaces and particles endocrine disruptors, asthma trigger, neurotoxicity plasticizers, fire retardants, pesticides
Ozone
O3, outdoor reaction of nitrogen oxides with sunlight or from indoor products ("air cleaners")
respiratory irritant (acute and chronic)
concern in urban areas (traffic)Radon
gas enters house through foundation or water, drawn in by HVAC, wind, stack effect, fix with sub-slab depressurization
uranium ore, phosphate rock, shale, metamorphic rock
Combustion Products
Coal, natural gas, wood, biomass; combustion indoors; Vented and unvented heaters; Candles; Indoor machinery
Particulates and CO, NO/NO2, SO2
CO poisoning, lung disease
Aerosol Air Contaminants
largest to smallest: inhalable, respirable/fine, ultrafine
smaller is worse
range from dust to viruses to spores to smoke/fumes
Asbestos
fibrous silicate, still in older buildings, inhalable
asbestosis lung scarring, pleural disease tissue thickening, mesothelioma cancer
Infectious Bioaersols
viruses, bacteria, fungi/mold
airborne, fomite, physical contact, water/food, vector,
Legionella
severe pneumonia (Legionaire’s disease)
plumbing systems, cooling towers, fountains, hot tubs
issue with water treatment or temperature
Fungi
“mold and mildew”
filamentous microorganisms
masses called mycelia grow on permeable or impermeable surfaces
feed on non-living organic parts of building materials
need water
aerosols includ VOCs, spores, mycotoxins
