May 11, 2022

Leading Ventilation Experts Available for Comment on the Future of Indoor Air Quality in Schools

To book an interview, please contact:
Katie Heraty,
Account Director at CS-Effect
[email protected],
m: 773-677-1775


FALLS CHURCH, Va. (May 11, 2022)—We know the science is clear that viruses, such as COVID-19, are readily transmissible from person to person, especially in the built environment. Indoor air quality (IAQ) hazards in schools can cause serious health risks and decrease the performance of students, teachers, and other school personnel. These invisible hazards may emerge from various sources, such as outdated heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems as well as off-gassing of construction materials and interior furnishings. AIHA stands ready to help build awareness of these often-overlooked hazards and provide practical guidance on how to mitigate exposure. As you continue to cover news about IAQ and schools, please consider an interview with Lawrence D. Sloan, CEO of AIHA, or Michele Myers Twilley, DrPH, CIH, Staff Industrial Hygienist at AIHA.

AIHA, an association of scientists and professionals committed to preserving occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) in the workplace and community, is an EPA resource included in the Biden-Harris Building Better School Infrastructure Action Plan and reference guide for better air quality in schools. According to OEHS experts, poor air quality inside school buildings takes a toll on student concentration and performance and is linked to increased absences. Reducing this pollution will provide better health and educational outcomes, particularly in low-income communities and communities of color that have long faced underinvestment in school infrastructure. Improving IAQ has the added benefit of helping reduce the spread of COVID-19, which experts now agree is transmitted via the air.

WHAT: Interview opportunity with a certified occupation and environment health and safety professional and/or the head of the association that represents “building doctors” about:

  • the future of indoor air quality in schools,
  • the current health risks to students, teachers, and other school personnel,
  • what can be done right now to protect them.

WHO: Lawrence Sloan, MBA, FASAE, CAE, and CEO of AIHA and Michele Myers Twilley, DrPH, AIHA Staff Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) are available to share their expert insights in an interview about the future of indoor air quality in schools.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:

  • Why is IAQ important at school?
  • What are the biggest IAQ health risks facing students, teachers, and other school personnel?
  • What are some examples of hidden indoor air pollutants in schools?
  • How can school districts fix IAQ hazards in schools?
  • Where can people find free IAQ resources and experts?
  • Insights on the Biden-Harris Action Plan for Building Better School Infrastructure and associated EPA and reference guide.

VISUALS: Infographics and images to support IAQ guidance. Free resources in English and Spanish on a curated landing page about healthy schools.

ABOUT AIHA

AIHA is the association for scientists and professionals committed to preserving and occupational and environmental health and safety in the workplace and community. Founded in 1939, we support our members with our expertise, networks, comprehensive education programs, and other products and services that help them maintain the highest professional and competency standards. More than half of AIHA's nearly 8,500 members are Certified Industrial Hygienists, and many hold other professional designations. AIHA serves as a resource for those employed across the public and private sectors, as well as to the communities in which they work.

In 2021, AIHA partnered with the Integrated Bioscience and Built Environment Consortium (IBEC) to develop a new public health awareness initiative called Commit To C.A.R.E. This effort asks employers and their employees to pledge to reduce the risk of COVID-19 in the workplace and surrounding communities. The initiative was funded by a cooperative agreement with NIOSH and CDC. Visit www.commit2CARE.org to learn more about this initiative.