October 2023

“Indoor pollutants impacting your facility can originate from numerous sources, including cleanliness issues, lack of ventilation, dampness, construction activities taking place inside the building, smoking, cooking, indoor activities, new building materials and furnishing, how many people are in the building, and so much more,” said Derrick A. Denis, Vice President of Indoor Environmental Quality for Clark Seif Clark (CSC). “Some of the more common IAQ pollutants include mold, pollen, particulate matter, sewer gas, animal dander, radon, formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides, lead, asbestos, carbon monoxide and combustion gases, and tobacco and marijuana smoke to name just a few. These pollutants can even come from a combination of outdoor and indoor sources. This is why it takes an experienced IAQ professional to be able to assess potential issues and to come up with real solutions to improve indoor conditions.”

Dedicated to helping clients create optimal indoor environments in residential, commercial and institutional properties are the building science and industrial hygiene experts at CSC. Their professionals provide building assessments, testing and monitoring to identify and mitigate exposure risks to a wide range of chemical and microbial concerns.

Last year, CSC sponsored an educational video about National Indoor Air Quality Awareness Month that can still be seen below: 

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

Resources to Help Prevent New Cases of Legionnaires’ Disease and Pontiac Fever 

Legionnaires’ disease is described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a serious type of pneumonia caused by exposure to a type of bacteria known as Legionella. The bacteria can also cause Pontiac fever, a less serious illness.

Legionella can be found naturally in freshwater environments. It becomes a significant health concern if it grows and spreads in man-made water systems. This is due to the fact that water containing Legionella can spread in droplets small enough for people to inhale, which is how people get infected. Tragically, the condition is fatal for about 1 in 10 who develop Legionnaires’ disease.

Most healthy people exposed to Legionella do not get sick. People at increased risk according to the CDC include:

• People 50 years or older
• Current or former smokers
• Those with a chronic lung disease (like COPD or emphysema)
• People with weak immune systems or who take drugs that weaken the immune system (like after a transplant operation or chemotherapy)
• Those with cancer
• People with underlying illnesses such as diabetes, kidney failure or liver failure

“Other potential sources of Legionella, in addition to building water systems, may include hot tubs, cooling towers, decorative fountains and even cisterns,” said Zahid Iqbal, MPH, CIH and Technical Director at Clark Seif Clark (CSC). “These are all reasons why water management programs to reduce exposure risks are so important. At CSC, our infection control, industrial hygiene and environmental professionals are dedicated to helping hospitals, long-term care centers, businesses and other clients develop, administer and monitor water management programs. These services, along with proactive testing, can help to prevent outbreaks. If one has already occurred, these resources can be instrumental for quickly identifying the source of the Legionella to prevent further infections.”

CSC also recently sponsored an educational video about Legionella and Legionnaires’ disease that can be seen below:

To learn more about this or other infection control, indoor air quality, building science, environmental, health and safety services, please visit www.csceng.com, email [email protected] or call (800) 807-1118.