INDUSTRY NEWS
‘BELOW STANDARD’ AIR QUALITY IN CLASSROOMS
A
lmost three in four (72%) classrooms suff er from air quality that is ‘below standard’, according to a new survey asking teachers across the UK about their school’s working conditions.
The survey found that three in fi ve teachers (59%) deemed a classroom with poor air quality to be ‘not fi t for purpose’ – for either teachers or pupils. It also revealed three-quarters (77%) of teachers noticed that substandard air
quality caused concentration problems in students, while 53% said performance or grades suff ered.
The Air Quality in UK Classrooms Report – conducted by experts in air
movement and ventilation solutions Airfl ow – asked teachers at 133 schools across the UK for their insights into working and learning conditions at UK schools. The report found that conditions impacted student health, with three in fi ve (61%) teachers believing classroom air quality is aggravating asthma and other lung conditions in pupils. Ill-eff ects on health were 55% more likely in cities, where both industrial and road pollution are more prevalent. This comes in a summer where the UK saw record high temperatures,
exacerbating pollution and its eff ects. Reports from scientists at the EU Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service have warned of spikes in unhealthy levels of pollution around Europe*, which are likely to become more common each year. Increased pollution can irritate and infl ame the lungs. How are teachers being aff ected? Almost two-thirds (63%) of all teachers surveyed said poor air quality is aff ecting teachers’ physical and mental health. While 31% of those at schools with ‘below standard’ air quality reported that despite requesting improvements, no action has been taken. However, more than a quarter (27%) said their school is trying to improve air
quality, but cannot due to a lack of funding or government support. What improvements do teachers want to see? Faced with sub-standard air quality, teachers identifi ed the changes they want schools to make: ¡ Replace old heating appliances (which can contribute to indoor air pollution) - 72% ¡ Install air fi ltration or purifi cation systems - 71% ¡ Ban cars on streets with schools during school run times - 38% ¡ Relocate playgrounds and classroom windows away from roads - 32% ¡ With pupils currently on their summer holidays, now is the time for schools to make changes such as these. Alan Siggs managing director of Airfl ow Developments Ltd said: “We
commissioned this survey to raise awareness of the problems poor air quality creates and how it impacts the classroom. Improving air quality is our area of expertise and we know the solutions available to overcome these problems. “However, what we didn’t know and what this survey has highlighted is how bad the situation is and how it aff ects teachers and students. It’s clear that funding solutions need to be found quickly and there must be support from the upper reaches of government for that to happen. Investment in modern ventilation systems is a must for the health of the future generation: we’ve seen fi rst-hand the stark diff erence good air quality can have.” “To gain this investment, grassroots pressure is required to focus the
government and local councils on the issue. Schools, teachers and even parents can raise the issue at PTA meetings or with local councillors to start turning the screw. “The recent resurgence in Covid cases makes action on air quality even more
pressing. Nobody wants a situation where children and teachers are returning to classrooms that facilitates the transmission of the virus. If measures are put into place, the health of both students and teachers can only benefi t.”
BESA FLAGS CRITICAL FIRE DAMPER SAFETY ISSUE
Graeme Fox, head of technical, BESA
T
he Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has issued an urgent warning about a potential fi re safety weakness in a large number of building ventilation systems. It has issued an interim technical bulletin (VH001) ahead of a full update of its industry guidance for the ‘Installation of Fire Dampers and Smoke Dampers’ (DW145) due for launch at the Association’s National Conference in October. BESA said it was taking the unusual step of producing an interim announcement because of the urgent nature of the problem after annual inspections carried out by maintenance contractors found that “a huge number of dampers” had been incorrectly installed. Head of technical Graeme Fox explained that many did not comply with manufacturers’ instructions and needed remedial action “without delay”. “We have been alerted to the dangerous practice of using self-drilling ‘tek’
screws which do not melt when temperatures rise during a building fi re. This means spring-loaded dampers will not be released to contain the spread of fi re within the zone and ensure the integrity of the fi re stopping measure,” he said. “Dampers must be secured by fusible fi xings that allow the duct to break
away otherwise the collapsing duct could pull the damper out of place and break the seal between the fi re zones,” added Fox. BESA’s technical committee sanctioned the technical bulletin, available on the Association’s website, to give contractors the information and appropriate terminology to alert clients to this potentially life-threatening problem. The bulletin also updates the guidance and statutory requirements covering
installation, testing and maintenance of fi re dampers and smoke dampers including clients’ legal obligations to ensure their fi re safety systems remain fi t for purpose in line with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 for England and Wales and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006. It outlines the crucial role played by the penetration seal in ensuring the
overall fi re stopping integrity of an installation, the importance of maintenance teams being able to fi nd and access dampers for testing and repair, and the need for designers and installers to seek expert advice from damper manufacturers. “While this is clearly a very worrying situation, we can take some reassurance
from the fact that this problem is being brought to our attention by the increasing frequency of fi re damper inspections and tests as awareness grows of this extremely important issue,” said Fox.
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