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DHHS (NIOSH) publicación N.º 2013-102
noviembre de 2012
Resumen de las recomendaciones para dueños, empleadores y ocupantes
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Los ocupantes de edificios de oficinas, escuelas y otros edificios no industriales que tengan humedad pueden desarrollar síntomas y enfermedades respiratorios.
Los edificios de oficinas, escuelas y otros edificios no industriales pueden desarrollar problemas de humedad debido a techos y ventanas no sellados, niveles altos de humedad interior e inundaciones, entre otras causas. Para esta Alerta, definimos “humedad” como la presencia de humedad excesiva y no deseada en edificios [AIHA 2008]. Esto puede causar el crecimiento de moho, hongos y bacterias, la liberación de componentes orgánicos volátiles y el deterioro de los materiales del edificio. Utilizamos el término “moho” para un grupo de hongos que se encuentran con frecuencia en los materiales húmedos. Al aire libre, el moho vive en el suelo, las plantas y en la materia muerta o en descomposición. Hay miles de especies de mohos y pueden ser de diversos colores. Las distintas especies de mohos se pueden adaptar a condiciones de humedad diferentes. Estudios de investigación han mostrado que la exposición a la humedad y al moho de los edificios se ha asociado a síntomas respiratorios, asma, neumonitis por hipersensibilidad (NH), rinosinusitis, bronquitis e infecciones respiratorias. Las personas con asma o HP pueden estar en riesgo de desarrollar enfermedades más graves si la relación entre la enfermedad y la exposición al edificio con humedad no se identifica y la exposición continúa.
La humedad en edificios y las enfermedades respiratorias subsiguientes en algunos ocupantes de edificios (incluidos los niños) ocurren en parte, debido a la falta de conocimiento y comprensión de la naturaleza y gravedad de estos problemas entre los diseñadores, constructores, dueños de los edificios, empleadores y ocupantes de edificios. Los problemas de humedad en edificios a menudo ocurren debido a deficientes procesos en el diseño, la construcción y la inspección (evaluación de la construcción y el funcionamiento del inmueble antes de la ocupación) de edificios nuevos. Estos problemas y los efectos contra la salud relacionados se pueden evitar si se considera la prevención de humedad como objetivo durante las etapas de diseño, construcción e inspección. Una vez construidos, los edificios también pueden desarrollar problemas de humedad debido al mantenimiento o funcionamiento inapropiados o insuficientes, y a las situaciones climáticas. La mejor evidencia actual sugiere que, en lugar de las mediciones microbiológicas, las observaciones para detectar la presencia de humedad, daños por agua, moho u olor a moho son los mejores indicadores de los peligros para la salud relacionados con la humedad.
Los dueños, empleadores u ocupantes deben utilizar los siguientes enfoques para reducir al mínimo la probabilidad de humedad persistente en los edificios y los problemas respiratorios posteriores en los ocupantes expuestos:
Dueños y empleadores de edificios
- Responda siempre cuando se reporten problemas de salud de los ocupantes.
- Inspeccione con regularidad áreas del edificio como techos, cielorrasos, paredes, sótanos, zonas de ventilación y construcción de losas para determinar si existe humedad; tome medidas rápidas para identificar y corregir las causas de cualquier problema de humedad.
- Realice inspecciones de los sistemas de calefacción, ventilación y aire acondicionado (Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning, HVAC) con regularidad, y corrija cualquier problema rápidamente.
- Evite la humedad elevada en interiores a través de un diseño y un funcionamiento adecuados de los sistemas de HVAC.
- Seque cualquier material poroso del edificio que se haya mojado debido a goteras o inundaciones en menos de 48 horas.
- Limpie y repare o reemplace cualquier material del edificio que se haya dañado por humedad o que presente evidencias visibles de moho.
- Informe a los ocupantes que la exposición a edificios con humedad puede tener efectos en el sistema respiratorio, e implemente un sistema para responder a:
- La humedad, los olores a humedad o moho, las goteras, y las inundaciones en los edificios
- Los síntomas o enfermedades respiratorios relacionados con los edificios.
- Aliente a los participantes que hayan desarrollado síntomas respiratorios persistentes o que empeoran mientras laboran en el edificio a que consulten a un proveedor de atención médica; vea los listados locales o estatales de médicos de medicina ocupacional o busque información en la Asociación de Clínicas Ocupacionales y Ambientales (Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics) en el sitio web: http://www.aoec.org/directory.htmExternal.
- Siga las recomendaciones del proveedor de atención médica con respecto al traslado de ocupantes que hayan sido diagnosticados con enfermedades respiratorias relacionadas con los edificios.
- Establezca un equipo de Calidad ambiental interior (Indoor Environmental Quality, IEQ) que tenga un coordinador y representantes de los empleados del edificio, de los empleadores, y de la gerencia del edificio, que supervisarán la implementación de un programa de IEQ. Los equipos de IEQ para las escuelas pueden incluir enfermeras, miembros de la junta directiva del colegio y padres de familia. Las Herramientas sobre la calidad del aire interior en las escuelas de la EPA (http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/External) se pueden utilizar como modelo para dicho programa.
Ocupantes
- Informe al director o dueño de su edificio si observa cualquier gotera, inundación, humedad, olor a humedad o moho y cualquier problema de ventilación del edificio; además, informe a su empleador, al director o dueño de su edificio sobre cualquier problema respiratorio que pueda estar relacionado con el inmueble.
- Consulte a su proveedor de cuidados médicos si ha desarrollado síntomas persistentes o que empeoran cuando trabaja en el edificio:
- Consulte los listados locales o estatales de médicos de medicina ocupacional o consulte a la Asociación de Médicos Clínicos Ocupacionales y del Medioambiente en el sitio web: http://www.aoec.org/directory.htmExternal.
- Informe a su empleador o al gerente o dueño del edificio si su proveedor de atención médica le ha recomendado el traslado a un área de trabajo diferente para evitar la exposición a los contaminantes del moho o los relacionados con la humedad que puedan causar o exacerbar los síntomas en situaciones en las que persisten los problemas de humedad.
- Conozca el programa IEQ de su lugar de trabajo y conviértase en un miembro activo del equipo IEQ si es necesario. Si no hay un programa IEQ en su lugar de trabajo, fomente la creación de uno.
FAQs
What is the difference between CDC and NIOSH? ›
NIOSH is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Depart- ment of Health and Human Services. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 created both NIOSH and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Is CDC part of NIOSH? ›NIOSH is part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Is NIOSH mandatory? ›Although employers are no longer required to notify and/or transfer records to NIOSH, OSHA's current regulation at 29 CFR 1910.1020(h)(1) provides that whenever an employer is ceasing to do business, they must “transfer all records subject to this section to the successor employer.
What are the three goals and objectives of NIOSH? ›NIOSH has seven strategic goals: Reduce occupational cancer, cardiovascular disease, adverse reproductive outcomes, and other chronic diseases. Reduce occupational hearing loss. Reduce occupational immune, infectious, and dermal disease.
Does NIOSH approve all kn95 masks? ›NIOSH approves many types of filtering facepiece respirators. The most widely available are N95 respirators, but other types (N99, N100, P95, P99, P100, R95, R99, and R100) offer the same or better protection as an N95 respirator.
Does an N95 mask have to be niosh-approved? ›You may see some respirators on the market labeled as “N95,” but if a respirator does not contain all of the components of the required label, it is not a NIOSH-approved respirator and, therefore, cannot be relied on to provide the same level of respiratory protection.
Who is the CDC controlled by? ›CDC is one of the major operating components of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Is the CDC a federal company? ›The CDC Foundation managed hundreds of programs in the United States and in more than 160 countries last year. Because CDC is a federal agency, all scientific findings resulting from CDC research are available to the public and open to the broader scientific community for review.
Who does the CDC regulate? ›CDC's role in rules and regulations
As the nation's public health protection agency, CDC has certain authorities to implement regulations related to protecting America from health and safety threats, both foreign and within the United States, and increasing public health security.
- OSHA rule, 29 CFR Part 1910.134 requires MSHA/NIOSH approval for all respirators used for protection against airborne hazards.
How important is NIOSH-approved? ›
NIOSH approval is important because those in need of adequate protection rely heavily on the respirator's effectiveness rating being true. For instance, an NIOSH-approved N95 boasts a 95% or greater efficiency rating, meaning that it blocks at least 95% of non-oil-based airborne particulate.
Is NIOSH-approved as good as FDA approved? ›NIOSH-approved respirators, including N95 respirators, remain authorized under the FDA emergency use authorization (EUA) for NIOSH-Approved air purifying respirators (includes single-use respirators and those designed to be reusable).
What is the main objective of NIOSH? ›A non-governmental organisation (NGO) whose main objective for its inception is to promote OSH amongst its members.
What is the main difference between OSHA and NIOSH? ›NIOSH is responsible for the testing and approval of all respirators used in occupational settings. OSHA's mission is to ensure safe and healthful working conditions by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance.
Which mask is better N95 or KN95? ›Only N95 masks are approved for healthcare use in the U.S. KN95 masks have many of the same protective properties. CDC recommends that people be cautious about purchasing KN95 in the U.S. because many are fake and do not meet NIOSH requirements. N95 respirators are single-use, disposable devices.
How many times can you wear a KN95 mask before throwing it away? ›According to the CDC, this provided time for some pathogens on the mask to "die off" while in the bag. But even then, the CDC recommended N95s weren't worn more than five separate times.
How do I know if my mask is NIOSH approved? ›How to identify a NIOSH Approved respirator: All NIOSH Approved respirators have a testing and certification (TC) approval number (e.g., TC 84A-XXXX). The NIOSH approval label, which you can find on or within the respirator packaging, includes the TC approval number.
What is the difference between surgical N95 and regular N95? ›Surgical N95 respirators and standard N95 respirators are similar in appearance and both can effectively filter airborne biological particles such as viruses and bacteria when properly selected and worn. 1,2,3,4 The key difference between a standard N95 respirator and a surgical N95 respirator is fluid resistance.
What does it mean if a mask is not NIOSH approved? ›If an FFR has approval markings but is not on the NIOSH table of approved filtering facepiece respirators, it is likely to be either a counterfeit product or a respirator that has had its certification revoked or rescinded by NIOSH.
What are the limitations of the CDC? ›The limitations of the CDC guideline include largely restricting involvement to experts who have been critical of opioid use for chronic noncancer pain,2 limited involvement of patients, excessive restrictions on selection of evidence (e.g., insisting on studies with a follow-up of one year or more excluded more than ...
What are 3 responsibilities of the CDC? ›
Our job is to prevent, detect, and respond to diseases wherever they are so that diseases don't come into the United States. CDC provides domestic and international leadership, as well as laboratory and epidemiology expertise, to respond and work toward eliminating every disease we can.
Who are the largest donors to the CDC? ›In addition to Congressional Appropriations, CDC receives approximately $12 million in global funding through foundations and other donors including the Bloomberg Family Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the CDC Foundation.
Is the CDC funded by the government? ›How does CDC get operating funds? The main source of CDC discretionary funds is budget authority, which are annual appropriations determined by the U.S. Congress.
Does CDC make policy? ›CDC's Policy Process provides a systematic way to develop policies that can help you address public health problems in your community. The policy process is like a journey that takes you through five domains, including stakeholder engagement and evaluation. It ultimately results in implementing a policy.
What does the CDC have control over? ›CDC is responsible for controlling the introduction and spread of infectious diseases, and provides consultation and assistance to other nations and international agencies to assist in improving their disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion activities.
What does it mean to be NIOSH-approved? ›NIOSH approval is issued only to a specific and complete respirator assembly after the respirator has been evaluated in the laboratory and found to comply with all of the requirements of Title 42, Code of Federal Regulations , Part 84, and after the manufacturer's quality plan is determined to be satisfactory.
Are NIOSH masks FDA approved? ›Surgical N95 – A NIOSH-approved N95 respirator that has also been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a surgical mask. N99 – Filters at least 99% of airborne particles.
How long does NIOSH approval take? ›How long does it take to achieve NIOSH approval? During normal operations, the total time from start to finish can range from one month to nine months depending on application issues and any non-conformances identified during the application review or initial site visit.
How do I know if my N95 mask is real? ›NIOSH Approval Is Key
All filtering facepiece respirators—including N95 masks—must be certified by NIOSH before they can be used in the workplace. NIOSH-approved masks always come with an approval label on or inside the mask packaging, either on the box or in the users' instructions.
When does a NIOSH-approved certificate expire? Are there refresher courses? Providing required spirometry testing to workers exposed to cotton, silica, or coal mine dust requires a current NIOSH-approved certificate. The course certificate is valid for 5 years.
What does NIOSH-approved mean for N95? ›
NIOSH Certification
Like other governing and regulatory bodies, NIOSH has standards, requirements and tests that products, product lines, manufacturers and manufacturer quality control systems must meet for approval. For example, an N95 respirator must filter at least 95 percent of airborne particles - hence the name.
FDA initially revised the EUA on May 7, 2020, after a number of KN95 respirators “failed to demonstrate a minimum filtration efficacy of 95 percent in testing conducted at NIOSH.”10 Consequently, at that time, FDA revoked authorization to more than 60 manufacturers that failed to meet the minimum filtration ...
Did the FDA remove the emergency use authorization for some KN95 masks? ›An FDA EUA is not a requirement to sell KN95 masks for non-medical uses. On June 30, 2021, the FDA revoked the EUA for the use of KN95 masks in healthcare settings, but did not remove the prior listing information from its website. The FDA generally clears surgical masks intended for use by healthcare workers.
Are 3M masks NIOSH approved? ›NIOSH, a Federal government regulatory agency, has tested and approved the 3M Particulate Respirator 8210, which is designed to help reduce exposure to certain airborne particles. WARNING: These respirators help reduce exposures to certain airborne contaminants.
How important is NIOSH approval? ›NIOSH approval is important because those in need of adequate protection rely heavily on the respirator's effectiveness rating being true. For instance, an NIOSH-approved N95 boasts a 95% or greater efficiency rating, meaning that it blocks at least 95% of non-oil-based airborne particulate.
What does NIOSH approved mean? ›NIOSH approval is issued only to a specific and complete respirator assembly after the respirator has been evaluated in the laboratory and found to comply with all of the requirements of Title 42, Code of Federal Regulations , Part 84, and after the manufacturer's quality plan is determined to be satisfactory.
What is the NIOSH top 5? ›Ask yourself, 'Were any of these factors present at my last fire where things didn't go well? ' The NIOSH 5: Inadequate Risk Assessment, Poor Communications, Inadequate Command, Lack of Accountability, and Lack of SOG's/Failure to Follow SOG's.
What are the roles and responsibilities of NIOSH? ›NIOSH assists industries towards compliance in terms of providing services such as chemical health risk assessments (CHRA) as well as chemical, medical and health monitoring. We also provide consultancy services, advice and recommendations to the industries on a safe and healthy system of work.
What does it mean if a mask is not NIOSH-approved? ›If an FFR has approval markings but is not on the NIOSH table of approved filtering facepiece respirators, it is likely to be either a counterfeit product or a respirator that has had its certification revoked or rescinded by NIOSH.
What is NIOSH limit? ›The recommended exposure limit (REL) proposed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is 85 decibels as an 8 hour time-weighted average.
How long can you wear a KN95 mask before replacing it? ›
Rotate and use a different KN95 mask every day so you do not wear the same mask more than once every 72 hours.
What N95 mask does the CDC recommend? ›3M Model 9210+
If you wear an N95 with an exhalation valve, you will be protected from others who may have COVID-19. If you have COVID-19, an N95 will protect others from you; however, an N95 with a valve may not protect others as well as an N95 without a valve.
N95 is the United States (U.S.) standard and the KN95 is the China standard. Only N95 masks are approved for healthcare use in the U.S. KN95 masks have many of the same protective properties.