CSC EHS Newsletter: July 2023 - Identifying Airborne Allergens in the Built Environment + More

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Environmental Newsletter

July 2023

Every day, Clark Seif Clark professionals are deployed across the nation helping both large and small customers resolve health & safety, industrial hygiene, environmental and indoor air quality issues.

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Identifying and Mitigating Exposure to Airborne Allergens in the Built Environment

Millions of Americans suffer from allergies and asthma. These conditions not only affect a person’s quality of life, each year they cost society billions of dollars in medical care and lost productivity. For children, countless missed school days can be blamed on allergies and asthma.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that allergic reactions occur only after repeated exposure to a specific biological allergen. However, that reaction may occur immediately upon re-exposure or after multiple exposures over time. As a result, people who have noticed only mild allergic reactions, or no reactions at all, may suddenly find themselves very sensitive to particular allergens.

With most people spending up to 90% of their time indoors, exposure to allergens, respiratory irritants and asthma triggers in homes, schools and work environments has a direct impact on health and well-being. Some of the more common indoor allergens include mold, pollen, dust mites, cockroaches, latex, rodents, and pet dander, saliva and urine. People can also experience allergy-like symptoms from exposure to airborne particulates, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), smoke and numerous other substances.

“Allergic responses are unique to the individual,” said Derrick A. Denis, Vice President of Indoor Environmental Quality for Clark Seif Clark (CSC). “It is not uncommon for us to interview a group of people exposed to a known indoor allergen, and for only one or a few to be exhibiting symptoms. The good news is we do not rely solely on the adverse health reactions of people to measure indoor allergens. We can sample air and surfaces for common allergens to determine the condition of the environment. Understanding what is in the indoor air or on indoor surfaces can be essential for helping those with allergies, asthma and other respiratory diseases to manage their condition. At CSC, our building science and indoor air quality professionals provide comprehensive assessments utilizing advanced air monitoring instruments and testing services to identify a wide range of airborne allergens and pollutants. These services identify exposure risks so corrective actions can be implemented to optimize indoor conditions.”

CSC also recently sponsored an educational video about airborne allergens that can be seen below:

To learn more about this or other indoor air quality, industrial hygiene, environmental, health and safety services, please:

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Protecting Workers from Occupational Exposure Risks to Carbon Disulfide and Other Chemical Hazards

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) describes carbon disulfide as a colorless liquid with an ether-like odor. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) reports that carbon disulfide evaporates at room temperature and the vapor is more than twice as heavy as air.

Carbon disulfide is used in many industries as a building block in organic chemistry and as an industrial solvent. NIOSH lists examples of some of the workers at potential risk of being exposed to carbon disulfide, they include:

Factory workers who work where rubber is made or processed
Workers involved in cellophane production
Employees who work in factories where rayon fabric is made
Employees involved in the production of carbon tetrachloride

“Exposure to carbon disulfide typically happens by breathing contaminated air or skin contact,” said Zahid Iqbal, MPH, CIH and Technical Director at Clark Seif Clark (CSC). “NIOSH cautions that exposure can cause dizziness, poor sleep, headache, anxiety, anorexia, weight loss and vision changes, and that carbon disulfide can harm the eyes, kidneys, blood, heart, liver, nerves and skin. ATSDR warns breathing very high levels can be life threatening because of its effects on the nervous system. To protect workers, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) and NIOSH has a Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) for carbon disulfide. Cal/OSHA also has its own PEL, and back in 1989, it was added to California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to the state to cause reproductive and developmental toxicity.”

Working with companies and institutions that utilize carbon disulfide and other industrial chemicals to protect their workers from chemical exposure risks are the industrial hygiene professionals at CSC. They offer testing, monitoring, consulting and training services to safeguard employees and to help employers comply with federal and state health and safety standards. CSC also recently sponsored an educational video about carbon disulfide and occupational exposure hazards that can be seen below:

To learn more about this or other industrial hygiene, indoor air quality, building science, environmental, health and safety services, please visit www.csceng.com, email csc@csceng.com or call (800) 807-1118.

About Clark Seif Clark: CSC was established in 1989 to help clients in both the public and private sectors address environmental issues. CSC is a leading provider of these services with multiple offices along the western seaboard and southwest. The company believes in science-based protocols and has a strong background in engineering making them the preferred environmental consultants to healthcare facilities, architects, schools, builders, contractors, developers and real estate professionals.