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| EXISTING AHU.in closed room at basement parking.2 |
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| EXISTING.AHU in closed room at basement parking |
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| Higher Capacity.AHU.ready for installation at C-3 gate basement entry |
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| Ducting hanging at 6.5 feets at basement parking |
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| AHU.ready for installation near C-2 gate exit |
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| AHU.ready for installation near C-2 gate exit |
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: subir chopra <choprasubir@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 7:34 AM
Subject: Health and Safety Hazards caused by AHUs
To: srorwa@gmail.com
ARTICLE
BEYOND MAINTENANCE COSTS
From: subir chopra <choprasubir@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 7:34 AM
Subject: Health and Safety Hazards caused by AHUs
To: srorwa@gmail.com
We all are aware of the fact that very soon two AHU will start functioning from our basement parking.
There are many Health and safety hazards caused by these units that includes fungal & bacterial infections along-with Fire.
Few of them are mentioned below;
To prevent fire hazard there has to be a automatic fire alarm operates, the respective air handling units of the air conditioning system shall automatically be switched off to prevent fire from spreading in the building
AHU should be in sound proof rooms to prevent noise pollution
Building permits and code-compliance inspections of the installations are normally required for all sizes of buildings
Central, 'all-air' air conditioning systems are often installed in modern residences, offices, and public buildings, but are difficult to retrofit (install in a building that was not designed to receive it) because of the bulky air ducts required. A duct system must be carefully maintained to prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the ducts
Accumulation of dust, grease, debris etc. are very common around the AHU, should be cleaned regularly
Inspection at short intervals are needed for AHU installed for ventilations of kitchens in professional use as the components required frequent service, maintenance and changing to avoid fire in such .
Find enclosed an article from EHS Today- a magazine for environmental health & safety;
How the air handling units can easily become toxic...
Thanks & Regards,
Subir Chopra
ARTICLE
Attack of the Toxic Air Handler
There's an old saying about water, shared among health-conscious people: If you are not drinking filtered water, then you are the filter.
When you apply that proposition to the air circulating through buildings, you may think there's no problem because the air is filtered or cleaned by the building's air handler. But in many cases, that may not be true.
If a building's air handling units have a clogged, leaking or poorly draining condensate pan, this creates the perfect breeding ground for molds, fungi, bacteria and other biological contaminants that circulate continuously within the building's air and the lungs of inhabitants. And if the problem isn't solved, it likely will intensify.
Why are such air contamination problems so widespread in today's buildings and seemingly worsening?
“Since the 1970s, architects have been designing buildings that are more airtight, to help prevent energy leakage,” explains Dan Maser, president of Enviroair Consultants Inc., a provider of industrial and commercial hygiene, safety and environmental services. “And because of that, we're relying totally on the air handling system to bring fresh air into the building. But if the air handling system has a malfunctioning condensate drainage system, it can become the source of biological contamination. Moreover, that unhygienic air may continue circulating, undiluted.”
Maser, a certified industrial hygienist with over 30 years of experience in the fields of environmental, fire protection, industrial hygiene and safety compliance, knows that the likely culprit in such air contamination cases is the air handler's condensate pan or “drip pan” that is supposed to catch condensation moisture released from the air handler. It is vital that the condensate pan provide for proper water drainage. Yet, having conducted many indoor environmental air quality studies and consulting on bioaerosol cases, Maser knows that air handler condensate pans can be poorly designed or inadequately serviced.
Essentially, the molds, fungi and bacteria that plague building air systems requires only three things to propagate: the right temperature range, a source of sufficient nutrients and water. Malfunctioning condensate pans generally meet all three requirements.
“In the presence of stagnant water, the dirt that is normally present in an air handler is a food source for various biological agents, not only molds and fungi, but also strains of bacteria,” says Maser. “And because you have this continuous moisture content, you get unwanted and possibly unhealthy biological growth in the pan, which could eventually cross-contaminate the ductwork and possibly even the filters.”
Maintaining the cleanliness of the system is crucial. A key point is to reduce manual efforts required to help maintain the air quality in the building.
BEYOND MAINTENANCE COSTS
Obviously, the problems with air handlers made toxic by leaking, clogged or malfunctioning condensate pans go far beyond maintenance costs. In addition to that issue come several others, such as business disruption, the reputation of a “sick building,” rental of temporary HVAC equipment and potential for liability for health issues.
Maser points out that Aspergillus is one of the fungi that have been documented to cause issues in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. If Aspergillus is present in the air handling unit, it may further compromise people who are ill or elderly by exposing them to these agents when they are more susceptible to infection. [Note: This is not a reference to the transmitting of communicable diseases in healthcare facilities.]
In addition to allergic reactions and other health issues, a “sick” building caused by air handlers with stagnant water due to leaking or clogged condensate pans can make building inhabitants feel tired or lethargic.
