Best Practices for Workplace IAQ Monitoring in 2025
It’s widely accepted that the presence of indoor air pollutants at work can negatively impact employees' health and productivity.
Given time, indoor air pollution can contribute to increased rates of sick leave, impair cognition, or even undermine employee retention. This is why it’s so important for companies to invest in fostering a safe and healthy indoor environment through comprehensive workplace IAQ monitoring solutions.
This guide will discuss why indoor air quality management has become a major focal point for many businesses today and what your workplace can do to maintain healthy IAQ over the long term.
Why Workplace IAQ Monitoring Will Matter in 2025
At start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many workers across the nation began to work from home or adopted a hybrid work schedule to help stop the spread of the virus. Now, businesses are starting to shift away from remote work in favor of the traditional in-office routine.
According to a recent survey by Resume Builder, some 90% of companies have plans to return employees to the physical workplace by the end of 2024. This trend is likely to continue into 2025, making it essential for businesses to prepare their work environments for the transition.
Regulatory Compliance for IAQ Monitoring
While there are currently no Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations governing indoor air quality, several states have begun adopting their own IAQ regulatory standards. In California, for instance, indoor humidity levels should be limited to 30% and 60%, while carbon dioxide cannot exceed 700 parts per million. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has also put forward regulations restricting the amount of ozone produced from indoor air purifiers.
In addition, New Jersey adopted the PEOSH IAQ Standard to protect public employees from indoor air pollution during regular working hours. As more states and cities adopt various indoor air quality standards moving forward, IAQ monitoring for workplaces will become the norm and not the exception.
To learn about more trends regarding indoor air quality, download our e-book today.
Best Practices for Implementing IAQ Monitoring
Improving the air quality of your indoor spaces will protect your employees’ well-being, comfort, and overall health. With the right equipment and a little planning, it’s easy to get your IAQ back on track.
Follow these best practices to effectively introduce indoor air quality monitoring at your place of work.
Conducting a Baseline Air Quality Assessment
It’s important to conduct a preliminary air quality assessment throughout the building to determine the types of contaminants present in the environment. Using handheld air samplers, professionals should measure the pollutant levels, humidity, temperature, and rate of air exchange.
A baseline air quality assessment can also help identify the sources of contaminants, such as poor ventilation, renovation work, or various building materials that can diminish indoor air quality.
Selecting the Right IAQ Monitoring Devices
Continual IAQ monitoring for workplaces requires the installation of sophisticated sensors throughout the building. These devices collect data on CO2, particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, the presence of other gases, humidity levels, and more. There are a variety of IAQ monitoring devices on the market today with a range of price points and features, so finding the right option for your business will depend on your unique needs.
At Attune, our fully customizable IAQ monitoring platform provides companies with up-to-the-minute data on all airborne contaminants so they can quickly identify and address any issues undermining their indoor air quality.
After deploying our sensors throughout the building, you’ll receive real-time information on all of the major pollutants that impact human health, including ozone, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, CO2, and other trace gases that may otherwise avoid detection.
With our IAQ monitoring solutions, your company will acquire the data needed to cultivate a healthy work environment that meets American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), OSHA, and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.
Establishing Data Review Protocols and Action Plans
After installing IAQ monitoring devices at strategic locations throughout the building, it’s time to set up policies and procedures for putting the data to use. Any deviations from your baseline air quality readings should be met with predefined protocols, such as removing the source of pollutants or adjusting the HVAC system to provide proper ventilation.
Concrete action plans should be in place to confront challenges as they arise, and these plans should be shared with all stakeholders within the organization to ensure consistency.
Employee Training and Involvement in IAQ Monitoring Initiatives
It’s critical to provide employees with the knowledge, training, and resources they need to recognize the signs of poor IAQ at work. Training materials should cover the potential impact of unhealthy indoor air on human health, common sources of indoor pollutants, and the company’s policies regarding IAQ standards. Remediation strategies should also be shared with workers, especially those who are most likely to encounter airborne contaminants on the job.
Additional training may cover the fundamentals of how HVAC systems work and basic working knowledge of indoor air quality monitoring equipment. It can also be helpful to ensure employees receive some training on how to properly interpret IAQ monitor data and identify deviations from the baseline norms.
Discuss with employees the importance of relaying IAQ concerns to managers or appropriate parties for a rapid resolution of the problem. Emphasizing employees' participation in implementing IAQ standards at work will help foster a culture of health and safety that will resonate throughout the entire organization.
Enhance Your Workplace IAQ Monitoring
By putting these tips into practice, you can cultivate a happier, healthier work environment that will boost employees' morale and productivity. At Attune, we make it easy to meet your IAQ goals by offering same-day installation and comprehensive customer support, which you can count on around the clock. Best of all, our IAQ monitoring platform is built to scale and easy to upgrade with the newest modules for expanded functionality.
If you believe poor indoor air quality is holding your business back, it may be time to make a change. Trust in Attune for cutting-edge IAQ monitoring solutions you can rely on.
To learn more about how Attune can transform your work environment, schedule a demo today.
