US-EPA 2016 Standards – https://aqicn.org/scale contains a table and more information that defines the Air Quality Index scale as defined by the US Environmental Protection Agency.
AQI |
Air Pollution Level |
Health Implications |
Cautionary Statement (for PM2.5) |
---|---|---|---|
0 – 50 |
Good |
Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk |
None |
51 -100 |
Moderate |
Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. |
Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion. |
101-150 |
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups |
Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. |
Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion. |
151-200 |
Unhealthy |
Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects |
Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion |
201-300 |
Very Unhealthy |
Health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected. |
Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should avoid all outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit outdoor exertion. |
300+ |
Hazardous |
Health alert: everyone may experience more serious health effects |
Everyone should avoid all outdoor exertion |
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS Table) – https://www.epa.gov/criteria-air-pollutants/naaqs-table
The Clean Air Act requires the EPA to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards for pollutants considered harmful to public health and the environment. Primary standards provide public health protection, including protecting the health of “sensitive” populations such as asthmatics, children, and the elderly. In their table covering six principal pollutants is a section that an air filtration device could improve and that is the particle pollution (PM) standards. Here is the current table.
Indoor Air Quality – OSHA https://www.osha.gov/indoor-air-quality The quality of indoor air inside offices, schools, and other workplaces is important not only for workers’ comfort but also for their health. Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) has been tied to symptoms like headaches, fatigue, trouble concentrating, and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs. Also, some specific diseases have been linked to specific air contaminants or indoor environments, like asthma with damp indoor environments. In addition, some exposures, such as asbestos and radon, do not cause immediate symptoms but can lead to cancer after many years.
Many factors affect IAQ. These factors include poor ventilation (lack of outside air), problems controlling temperature, high or low humidity, recent remodeling, and other activities in or near a building that can affect the fresh air coming into the building. Sometimes, specific contaminants like dust from construction or renovation, mold, cleaning supplies, pesticides, or other airborne chemicals (including small amounts of chemicals released as a gas over time) may cause poor IAQ.
The right ventilation and building care can prevent and fix IAQ problems. Although OSHA does not have IAQ standards, it does have standards about ventilation and standards on some of the air contaminants that can be involved in IAQ problems. OSHA responds to questions about standards with letters of interpretation. OSHA’s letters of interpretation specifically addressing IAQ issues can be found in Other Resources. The General Duty Clause of the OSH Act (the law that created OSHA) requires employers to provide workers with a safe workplace that does not have any known hazards that cause or are likely to cause death or serious injury.