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ASHRAE issues guidance on keeping buildings safe

February 27, 2002—Preventative maintenance will give owners and managers an edge if extraordinary incidents take place, according to a report issued to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

The report, Risk Management Guidance for Health and Safety Under Extraordinary Incidents, was written by the Society's Presidential Study Group on Health and Safety Under Extraordinary Incidents, which was appointed after the attacks of Sept. 11 and subsequent events.

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The group made three preliminary recommendations for owners and managers of existing buildings:

• Understand the capabilities of buildings and their systems;
• Assure that buildings are performing as intended;
• Do not make changes to building performance unless the consequences are understood.

The report includes a list of major systems, components and processes that should be considered as safety issues associated with extraordinary incidents in most existing buildings.

These include ventilation system operation, filter efficiency and bypass, quantity of outdoor air, controlled access to air handling components, securing of likely entry points, fire protection and life safety, building shell and duct tightness, areas of refuge and preparedness plan.

The group also made three recommendations regarding actions that should not be taken without consulting a professional engineer.

• Do not close outdoor air intake dampers or otherwise block ventilation air paths;
• Do not change the designed airflow patterns or quantities;
• Do not modify the fire protection and life-safety systems without approval of the local fire marshal.

A copy of the report is available on ASHRAE Online.

   
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