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Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Impact of Open Doors/Fans on Lab Ventillation
Date: Thursday, February 25, 2021 at 8:21:35 AM
Author: Ken Kretchman <kwkretch**At_Symbol_Here**ncsu.edu> 		Next by Date:
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Nat Academy of Sciences: Emerging Science on Indoor Chemistry - A Virtual Information-Gathering Workshop
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 2021 13:24:08 -0500
Author: CHAS membership chair

From: Monona Rossol <0000030664c37427-dmarc-request**At_Symbol_Here**LISTS.PRINCETON.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Impact of Open Doors/Fans on Lab Ventillation
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 2021 13:45:15 +0000
Reply-To: Monona Rossol <actsnyc**At_Symbol_Here**CS.COM>
Message-ID: 2117825819.1902947.1614260715719**At_Symbol_Here**mail.yahoo.com
In-Reply-To


I'm a confirmed air-pusher, requiring a minimum of 6 air changes/hour (ACH), with good HVAC filters if any of this air is recirculated.  But with chemicals, that air flow has to be controlled.  Fans at open doors properly set up to create uni-directional air currents might be OK for outdoor dining, tent show audiences, or livestock barns, but not a chemistry lab.  

Monona

-----Original Message-----
From: Ken Kretchman <kwkretch**At_Symbol_Here**NCSU.EDU>
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU
Sent: Thu, Feb 25, 2021 8:21 am
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Impact of Open Doors/Fans on Lab Ventillation

Yes...Tom Smith and 3Flow have recently done webinars on the topic of managing air for Covid control and pushing air is a key part of the agenda.

Ken

Ken Kretchman, CIH, CSP, FAIHA   Director, Environmental Health and Safety
NC State University / Box 8007 / 2620 Wolf Village Way / Raleigh North Carolina 27695-8007
Email: Ken_Kretchman**At_Symbol_Here**ncsu.edu / Phone: (919).515.6860 / Fax: (919).515.6307


On Wed, Feb 24, 2021 at 7:39 PM Debbie Decker <debbie.m.decker**At_Symbol_Here**gmail.com> wrote:
I'd suggest Tom Smith and his team at 3Flow (3Flow.com) to evaluate the HVAC system.  I've known Tom and worked with him over many years.

In a portable, keeping doors open and pushing air from high hazard to low could work.  For an engineered airflow control system,  leaving doors and windows open could be problematic.

Increasing overall airflow and increasing filter efficiency are recommended.   Check out corsiiaq.com for more information about the latest research on airborne virus transmission and mitigation.

<disclaimers apply>

HTH
Debbie

PS: congratulations on the new science building!

On Wed, Feb 24, 2021, 4:02 PM Melissa Anderson <manderson8**At_Symbol_Here**pasadena.edu> wrote:
Hi Everyone,

Our college is discussing returning our labs (currently virtual/at-home) to campus this Summer. We're currently teaching labs in portable trailers while our new science building gets constructed and it was suggested that we just open the doors to the outdoors and use fans to bring in outside air to increase ventilation. Is there anything we should be wary of in terms of this backfiring on us? Most of the gen chem labs don't use the fume hoods very much but our organic labs do use them quite often and I worry that open doors might have some unintended effects on fume hood airflow.

I've suggested that we take advantage of the college's sudden interest in getting us back on campus to bring an expert in to evaluate the situation. Any recommendations on what qualifications we should recommend to the higher-ups?

Thanks,

Melissa W. Anderson, Ph.D.
Chemistry Instructor, Division of Natural Sciences
Pasadena City College

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