Air quality or “sick building” assessments, are typically conducted in two phases.
The first phase consists of site reconnaissance to evaluate chemical usage, analysis of Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems and review of facility work practices. During this reconnaissance phase, direct read instrumentation is utilized to monitor common indicators of indoor air quality problems.
Additional information obtained during the reconnaissance phase, such as process chemical usage and evidence of microbial contamination, is used to develop the secondary air monitoring phase.
The secondary phase targets suspect indoor contaminants and may include such services as area and/or personal air monitoring, bio-aerosol, tape lifts and bulk sampling.