Outdoor air quality

Health Risks of Poor Air Quality

Exposure to poor outdoor air quality has been shown to have a number of potential health effects but poses the greatest risk to those who have pre-existing respiratory or cardiovascular conditions. In general, the long-term health risks from short-term exposure to low or moderate smoke or air quality issues are considered to be low and tend to resolve when the individual is removed from the air of poor air quality.

The potential for adverse health effects varies from person to person and depends on the level and duration of exposure, however general symptoms of overexposure include:

Irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat
Headaches
Worsening of allergies and increased mucous production
Shortness of breath or chest tightness
Persistent coughing or wheezing

If you experience any of these symptoms, move to an indoor area with proper air filtration and seek first aid if symptoms worsen.

Risk Management and Monitoring

The BC Health and Smoke Exposure (HASE) Coordination Committee has developed guidelines to direct organizations and individuals to take action based on the current risk as defined by the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI). The table below indicates the levels of the AQHI and associated activity recommendations from the HASE committee. UFV has adopted this strategy to guide on-campus activities.

Health risk	AQHI index	Health messages
		At-risk population	General population
Low	1-3	Enjoy your usual outdoor activities.	Ideal air quality for outdoor activities.
Moderate	4-6	Consider reducing or rescheduling strenuous activities outdoors if you are experiencing symptoms.	No need to modify your usual outdoor activities unless you experience symptoms such as coughing and throat irritation.
High	7-10	Reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors. Children and the elderly should also take it easy.	Consider reducing or rescheduling strenuous activities outdoors if you experience symptoms such as coughing and throat irritation.
Very high	Above 10	Avoid strenuous activities outdoors. Children and the elderly should also avoid outdoor physical exertion.	Reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors, especially if you experience symptoms such as coughing and throat irritation.

UFV Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) monitors air quality conditions regularly and has developed a strategy to provide appropriate messaging to staff and students in a timely manner. These messages will be delivered by email to all current staff and students and will be posted on UFV’s Urgent News Blog.

High-risk activities

UFV EHS considers the following tasks to be high-risk and requires activity modification during periods of high heat:

outdoor work, e.g. grounds, maintenance
work in areas of concern based on building systems, e.g. trades

Staff and students working and learning in these environments are required to follow the guidance in the table above when the AQHI reaches the defined levels.

All other staff and students are advised to monitor personal reactions to air quality and seek first aid assistance if they experience any of the symptoms mentioned above, but are not required to modify work. Any concerns regarding outdoor air quality should be reported to your supervisor and to UFV EHS.

Report concerns about air quality

Mitigation – office and home

How to reduce impacts of poor air quality:

Know the signs and symptoms of overexposure.
Watch out for symptoms in yourself and others.
Drink water often – avoid drinks with caffeine.
Take breaks in areas with proper air filtration.
Avoid exposure if you have a pre-existing or chronic respiratory or cardiovascular condition.
Know how your workplace deals with air quality.
Report any safety concerns to your supervisor.