FEMA_IAQ_Testing_Procedures.pdf

FEMA March8, 2008 IAQ Testing Procedures

IAQ SCREENING TESTING PROCEDURES

FOR FEMA TEMPORARY HOUSING

Post-Production

• Each newly manufactured housing unit shall be stored for a mandatory 7-day waiting period with all window, doors, vents, and other openings to the outside closed with the exception of the designed HVAC system and the HVAC system turned off (and if applicable, shut the outside air intake dampener). Interior doors in each unit, not opening to the outside of the unit, shall be open

(bathroom/ bedroom doors...). On the 9th to 15th day, it is mandatory the unit have all windows, doors, vents and other openings remain closed, interior doors remained opened and the HVAC system be turned on, set to 72 degrees Fahrenheit and remain on until testing. The units shall be stored in a controlled, secured location.

• Once each morning, at the beginning of the work day, walk into each unit to set the HVAC to heat or cool (72 degrees Fahrenheit) than close door. This will be dependant on the predicted high temperature for the location of the testing. Once each evening, at the close of business, walk into each unit to set the HVAC to heat or cool (72 degrees Fahrenheit) than close door. This will be dependant on the predicted high/low temperature for the location of the units. This is to be done as necessary. If high and low is predicated to be below 72 degrees Fahrenheit, leave on heat or vice versa for that day. At the time of each morning/evening HVAC setting check, take a visual reading of thermostat and verify temperature is +-5 degrees Fahrenheit of 72 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure

HVAC is running properly.

• Following the 7-day and 14-day waiting period, the indoor air for each unit shall be tested to document that the IAQ is below the required threshold limits. All testing should occur only when the outside air temperature is greater than 50 degrees Fahrenheit and only between the hours of 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. This represents the typical peak in the temperature under normal weather patterns and will demonstrate an effort was made to conduct testing during the warm/humid part of the day.

This likely will generate the highest possible readings.

• The IAQ testing shall be conducted by qualified third party industrial hygienists (IH) trained and experienced in conducting industrial hygiene and/or IAQ air sampling.

• If the manufacturer/contractor is to provide furnishings, decorative items (e.g. curtains, wallpaper, etc.), etc., those must be installed prior to the IAQ testing. Mattresses and sofas may remain in their sealed protective coatings.

• The IH shall determine the predisposition of each unit (e.g. manufactured a week ago and sitting in parking lot waiting for delivery and completely “sealed up”) prior to testing from observations and/or interviews with on-site production crew or supervisors. The IH shall document this information for each unit.

• The HVAC system for each unit must be off prior to testing of each unit within twenty-four (24) hours of testing.

• The IH shall document the conditions in which testing is performed by field notes and photographs.

• The IAQ testing shall be performed for the following contaminants and recommended maximum allowable concentrations:

1. Formaldehyde – Direct-reading instrumentation or Lab sampling, approved via NIOSH

2016.

a. Maximum concentration – Less than 16 parts per billion (ppb) as directed by

FEMA

2. Total Volatile Organic Compounds (tVOCs) – ppbRAE analyzer or similar direct-reading instrumentation

a. Maximum concentration – 500 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/M3)

3. Particulates (PM10) – Met One Discrete Particle Counter (DPC) or similar direct-reading instrumentation

a. Maximum concentration – 50 µg/M3

4. 4-Phenylcyclohexene (4-PCH)* – Charcoal tube media and low-flow air sampling pump

a. Maximum concentration – 6.5 µg/M3

b. Still researching to determine if there is direct-reading technology to measure for this VOC similar to formaldehyde and tVOCs. This could possibly eliminate the need for laboratory analysis and longer (~1 hour) sampling times for 4-PCH.

* This test is only required if carpets and fabrics with styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) latex backing material are installed as part of the base building systems.

• With the exception of the 4-PCH and/or Formaldehyde, the IAQ testing shall be performed using direct-reading instrumentation which shall have a current factory calibration at time of testing and operated in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications/recommendations. This must be an instrument which can test for all requested levels. Must be able to test for levels of Formaldehyde at a minimum of 14 ppb. The instrument shall have an accuracy rate of at least ninety (90) percent.

• The tests shall be collected in the general breathing zone of approximately three to six feet from the floor and twelve inches from wall, away from any vent, for each housing unit. One test shall be taken in units with an open floor plan and sufficient air mixing; two tests shall be taken in units with two zones that may be isolated from each other.

• The IH shall conduct: an eight hour continuous sample of Formaldehyde will be collected in the center of the THU primary living room utilizing the National Institute Occupational Safety and

Health (NIOSH) Manual of Analytical Methods (NMAM) 2016.

• Samples will be collected utilizing standard industrial hygiene pumps or similar approved method, an accuracy rate of at least ninety (90) percent, samples must be drawn at a flow rate and collect an appropriate sample size required by the NMAM 2016, and be placed at a height comparable to a residents breathing zone, preferably between three (3) to six (6) feet in height. For every one hundred units tested, one unit should be tested along with a DRAEGER testing device to ensure accuracy.

• The IH shall document the weather conditions, elevation, temperature and relative humidity in the unit, outside of the unit and at the time of each test.

• At the end of each sampling day, the samples will be shipped to the designated analytical laboratory accredited by the AIHA Industrial Hygiene Accreditation.

• Sample and data collection shall be completed within three (3) to five (5) business days of work order issuance and will be submitted to the FEMA COTR at that time.

IAQ Re-Testing

• For any failure, subsequent flush-out procedures shall be implemented until each failed unit is retested and determined to be below the specified levels prior to occupancy once the determining factor has been identified and replaced or a determination has been made that the unit cannot be brought into compliance with the IAQ standard. Before retesting the unit, all previous procedures need to be adhered to, starting with the 14-day waiting period.

Reporting

• The IH shall provide one report for each model/unit/type tested at the manufacturer’s facility. Each report will include a summary of the testing data, pertinent observations made by field staff, representative photograph of exterior and interior of each model/type/unit, evaluations and conclusions based upon the testing data, and recommendations. Also included will be copies of the field documentation for the testing of each model/unit/type of housing.

Limitations / Qualifications

• The data from the limited IAQ testing will be used as a screening assessment tool for each housing unit to determine concentrations of certain IAQ contaminants inside the units at the time the units are completed with construction and are ready for delivery to end-users. The data will only represent the airborne concentrations of the specified contaminants for the specific time and location of each sampling point. Airborne contaminant concentrations may increase or decrease after our limited screening IAQ testing within each housing unit depending upon multiple variables such as temperature, elevation, relative humidity, and outside air ventilation rates.

• To determine the actual affects of poor IAQ within an environment, the assessment and testing would ideally be conducted under actual/normal operating conditions in the geographic location the unit(s) are to be located. There are multiple factors/variables that can affect the IAQ within a unit over a period of minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years.