Context: The International benchmarks and IAQ levels reported here are defined under methodologies meant for far more stringently decontaminated areas, such as cleantech industry cleanrooms. However, reports produced by IAQ Analytics may also be legitimately used for common areas such as households and offices. In other words, higher standards are being applied than are strictly needed, which correlates with the fact that high levels of tradesmanship are now being practised in the IAQ industry as a whole.
Published standard: ISO 14644-1 (2015) (International Standards Organisation)
Background: Cleanrooms and associated controlled environments provide for the control of contaminated air down to levels appropriate for accomplishing contamination-sensitive activities. Contamination control can also be beneficial for protection of product or process integrity in applications in industries such as aerospace, microelectronics, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, healthcare and food [paraphrased from ISO 14644-1]. Application to non-industrial indoor situations is not typical. Published standards for particle counts per cubic meter (as opposed to weights per cubic meter) in non-industrial indoor situations do not refer to fungi and mold. Similarly this report and associated published standards cannot be used to characterize the physical, chemical, radiological, viable or other nature of airborne particles. Contamination simply means presence of airborne particles, it does not refer to the physical, chemical, radiological, viable or other nature of airborne particles. With these caveats having been stated, the IAQ Level system underlying this report does use a somewhat similar particle counting and grading system as the International Standards Organisation used in formulating ISO 14644-1 (2015)E: Cleanrooms and associated controlled environments - Part 1: Classification of air cleanliness by particle concentration. The standard is copyrighted material available from www.iso.org or from the national standards organization in your country.
IAQ Analytics takes no responsibility for the adherence or otherwise, of users of its service, to the ISO 14644-4(2015) guidelines on cleanroom construction and operation. Similarly only single time points are reported on here by IAQ Analytics, and the company makes no recommendations on scheduling of any follow-up testing in any room. With these caveats having been stated, a report on ISO Comparison is available to users who undertake replicate sampling to the degree recommended during the IAQ Analytics data input process, and who meet the sampling duration requirements recommended by IAQ Analytics during that process.
Published standard: World Health Organisation - Good Manufacturing Practice (WHO GMP)
WHO Technical Report Series, No. 961 (2011), Annex 6.
The WHO GMP standard is designed for sterile environments that undergo disinfection routinely. IAQ Analytics assesses to the WHO GMP reference only with regard to the In Operation state. The WHO GMP relates to the ISO as follows: "For Grade C (in operation) the airborne particle classification is ISO 8. For classification purposes ISO 14644-1 (2) methodology defines both the minimum number of sample locations and the sample size based on the class limit of the largest particle size considered and the method of evaluation of the data collected.
The sample volume should be determined according to ISO 14644-1 (2) clause B.4.2. However, for lower grades (e.g. Grade C in operation) the sample volume per location should be at least 2 litres and the sample time per location should be not less than 1 minute." (paraphrased from WHO Technical Report Series, No. 961 (2011), Annex 6). For a WHO GMP Grade B In Operation the airborne particle classification is ISO 7. The WHO GMP permits grading based on 5 micron particles so is a useful standard to complement an ISO classification or an IAQ Level assessment.
While the WHO GMP specifies that cleanrooms should be designed to achieve both the "At Rest" and "In Operation" states, IAQ Analytics does not reference that specific aspect of the WHO GMP standard. Nor does IAQ Analytics warrant that its clients conform to that aspect or not conform to that aspect.
Published standard: (US) Federal Standard 209E (1992) Airborne particulate cleanliness classes in cleanrooms and clean zones. Fed 209E was superseded in 2001 by ISO 14644-1 and ISO 14644-2, on the authority of The U.S. General Services Administration.
Published standard: (UK) British Standard 5295(1989) was superseded by BS EN ISO 14644(2007) under the authority of The British Standards Institution (BSI Group) Standards Development, Standards Policy and Strategy Committee. British users of IAQ Analytics services should look to BS EN ISO 14644(2007) if they desire to reference British-specific standards, bearing in mind the similarity of BS EN ISO 14644 to ISO 14644.
Published standard: (EU) EU GMP (2009) European Union Guidelines to Good Manufacturing Practice, Medicinal Products for Human and Veterinary Use, Annex 1 (2009), European Commission, Brussels (current). The EU GMP is similar to the WHO GMP. European users of IAQ Analytics services should look to ISO 14644 and EU GMP (2009) if they desire to reference Europe-specific standards, bearing in mind the similarity of EU GMP (2009) to WHO GMP (2011). While the WHO GMP specifies that cleanrooms should be designed to achieve both the "at rest" and "in operation" states, IAQ Analytics does not reference that aspect of the WHO GMP standard nor does IAQ Analytics warrant its users to conform to that aspect or to not conform to that aspect.
Published standard: ANSI/ASHRAE 55(2010) (American National Standards Institute, and American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers) . Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy. IAQ Analytics references scope 2.3 and 2.4 of ASHRAE 55(2010): "2.3 This standard specifies thermal environmental conditions acceptable for healthy adults at atmospheric pressure equivalent to altitudes up to 3000 m (10,000 ft) in indoor spaces designed for human occupancy for periods not less than 15 minutes. 2.4 This standard does not address such nonthermal environmental factors as air quality, acoustics, and illumination or other physical, chemical, or biological space contaminants that may affect comfort or health." IAQ Analytics does not reference scope 2.1 and 2.2 of ASHRAE 55(2010) "2.1 The purpose of the standard is to specify the combinations of indoor thermal environmental factors and personal factors that will produce thermal environmental conditions acceptable to a majority of the occupants within the space. 2.2 It is intended that all of the criteria in this standard be applied together since comfort in the indoor environment is complex and responds to the interaction of all of the factors that are addressed." In brief ASHRAE 55 specifies not only the environment but also the clothing of occupants, and discusses Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning, which are beyond the scope of IAQ Analytics reference.
Guideline: CAN/CSA Z412-00 (R2011) (Canadian Standards Association International). Guideline on Office Ergonomics. IAQ Analytics references only the temperature and humidity aspects of this standard. An extract from the general scope of the standard is: "This guideline incorporates ergonomics into a step-by-step process for the optimal design of office systems, including …..., environmental conditions, …... It is intended predominantly for office workers and employers who are responsible for health and safety or ergonomics programs in the workplace. It will, however, also be useful for facility designers, purchasers, building maintenance, health and safety regulatory agencies, and manufacturers and designers associated with office ergonomics."
Other published guidelines
For guidance on the health aspects of dealing with fungi and mold in indoor areas, see:
Who Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality – Dampness and Mould. (2009) ISBN 978 92 890 4168 3
http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/43325/E92645.pdf
This report does not refer in any way to mineral particles in air (man-made or natural), nor have they been tested for to our knowledge by the submitter/remediator. For guidance on that subject matter refer to: WHO air quality guidelines for Europe, 2nd edition (2000) Chapter 8.2: Man-made vitreous fibres. WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/123088/AQG2ndEd_8_2MMVF.pdf
Similarly, this report does not refer in any way to organic particles in air, nor chemical particles in air, nor have those particles been tested for to our knowledge by the submitter/remediator. For guidance on that subject matter refer to: WHO air quality guidelines for Europe, 2nd edition (2000) WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark.
http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/environment-and-health/air-quality/publications/pre2009/who-air-quality-guidelines-for-europe,-2nd-edition,-2000-cd-rom-version
Guideline: IAQ Level. The IAQ Level is an emerging sub-industry guideline, designed for the domestic and office space sector of the Indoor Air Quality industry. It does not explicitly reference any national standards, but instead respects international benchmarks, selectively. It may be used by other sectors of the wider IAQ industry at each user's own risk. An IAQ Level carries no requirement for replicate air samples to be taken inside a single room, and it references no construction guidelines nor specifies any schedule of testing. The term IAQ Level is copyright © to IAQ Analytics Pty Ltd.