What Is Air Quality?

The air we breathe contains a mixture of liquids and gases containing a variety of chemicals (known as Particulate Matter or PM for short) some of which, in higher concentrations, can have an adverse effect on our bodies. The most damaging of these particles are known as PM2.5. PM2.5 particles are invisible to the naked eye, 30 times smaller than a strand of human hair, and can be inhaled into our lungs, passed into our bloodstream and, subsequently, enter our organs. 

The current legal limit of PM2.5 in the UK is set at nearly twice the level the WHO recommends (5 µg/m 3 per annum). The Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010 states that concentrations of air pollution PM2.5 must not exceed an annual average of 25 µg/m3. Whilst the latest figure provided by government demonstrate a marked decrease in exposure to PM2.5 toxins, exposure is still relatively high when we consider the recommended levels of exposure presented the WHO, who state that exposure to PM2.5 is estimated to be on a par with other major global health risks such as unhealthy diets and tobacco smoking. Despite air pollution being coined as the new second hand smoke, UK regulations relating to indoor air quality continues to be vague.

Why do I need an Air Quality Consultant?

90% of our time is also spent indoors, yet many people do not consider the health impacts of increased levels of CO2 in the room, or the presence of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), a bi-product of off-gassing from things such as newly bought furniture, paint, perfumes, as well as outdoor pollutants entering the building from sources such as transport, energy supply, dust, agriculture, waste management or other air pollutants.

Many people breathe air that fails to achieve the WHO guidelines with air pollution killing more than an estimated 7 million people per year, world-wide, prematurely, of which 3.7 million are attributed to poor indoor air quality. The majority of humans can agree we all have a right to access clean water, but why does this not extend to our right to breathe clean air.

But the effects of poor air quality aren’t limited to human health. According to the 2004 study ‘The effects of indoor air quality on performance and productivity’, the effects of poor indoor air quality have a direct impact on performance and productivity. The study states that the data collected from a series of experiments where participants in office buildings were exposed to a variety of air quality levels, that “[t]he size of the effect on most aspects of office work performance appears to be as high as 6-9%[.]”

Our Delta-Simons Air Quality Consultants provides a comprehensive service relating to modelling, monitoring and assessment of air quality, covering a range of air pollutants that affect health and ecosystems, as well as dusts and odours that affect amenity. Encouraging early engagement with design teams, engineers and planners, ensures beneficial air quality outcomes and allows time for integrating new technologies and monitoring techniques into air quality studies, helping ud to achieve and assist our clients to reach their aims. 
 

What services can Delta-Simons’ Air Quality Consultants provide?

As part of the Lucion Group we can provide holistic Air Quality Consultancy services through our sister company, Delta-Simons, an established multi-disciplinary environmental and health and safety consultancy providing trusted advice and solutions for sustainable development. Delta-Simons provides:

• Air Quality Assessment
• Air Quality Scoping
• Dust Assessment
• Odour Assessment
• Dispersion Modelling
• Emission Inventories
• Environmental Permitting Application
• Air Quality Monitoring
• DMRB Screening Assessment
• Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA)

What are my legal responsibilities relating to Air Quality?

Under the Health & Safety at Work  etc. Act 1974 and the Occupiers Liability Act 1984, an employer has a duty of care to ensure that a safe and healthy environment is provided. Under the employer's duty of care, all employers are under a statutory duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their staff. This duty of care means that employers must identify any health and safety risks to which employees may be exposed at work and take appropriate measures to control any workplace risks

The HES’ INDG244 Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations and the related Approved Code of Practice (ACoP), surmises that indoor air quality should be at least equal to, but ideally better than, the air quality outside your building. Regulation 6 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 states: “Effective and suitable provision shall be made to ensure that every enclosed workplace is ventilated by a sufficient quantity of fresh or purified air." The ACOP also states that “The air which is introduced should, as far as possible, be free of any impurity which is likely to be offensive or cause ill health". 

Many harmful substances are also covered by the COSHH 2002 regulations, Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs), requiring employers to control substances in workplaces that are hazardous to health. COSHH regulations state that measures need to be taken to ensure the internal environment maintains good air quality and reduces the presence of common indoor air pollutants such as CO2, NO2, and VOCs. 

Our Capabilities

Delta-Simons’ specialist Air Quality Consultancy team have worked on a wide range of projects across all sectors including residential, retail, commercial, energy, transport and waste. With a proven track record, working with developers on challenging sites, designing cost-effective mitigation solutions and strategies, providing high quality technical advice and working to enhance the prospects for successful outcomes for clients and their projects, you can trust that our services are tried and tested. 

As part of the Lucion Group, we deliver a full end to end service. From surveying, testing, and analysis of hazardous substances through to consultancy and delivering solutions. 

Our knowledge of the issues surrounding the risk management and legal compliance of hazardous materials in buildings gives our commercial clients complete reassurance throughout their project, with real time visibility of all hazardous materials and all risks. At the heart of everything we do is ESG (Environment, Social & Governance) and for Delta-Simons, success means a positive impact on people, planet and prosperity.

Want to partner with a purpose driven holistic environmental services supplier? Email the Delta-Simons team at airquality@deltasimons.com.