Indoor air quality (IAQ) is increasingly recognized as an occupational health and safety issue, not merely a matter of comfort. Yet the United States still lacks a comprehensive OSHA standard that mandates IAQ requirements. A recent article in ISHN Magazine describes how EHS professionals can bridge this regulatory gap using existing technical standards and a structured control approach. For readers outside the U.S.: OSHA and the ASHRAE standards referenced below are American; other countries have their own legal frameworks governing indoor air quality.
Two leading standards
In the absence of a binding federal IAQ standard, U.S. practice relies heavily on voluntary technical standards from ASHRAE. Standard 62.1 sets ventilation rates and system design requirements for commercial buildings; the 2025 edition adds stricter requirements for humidity control and filtration. Standard 241 focuses specifically on reducing exposure to infectious aerosols and introduces the concept of “equivalent clean airflow rate,” a metric for determining how much effectively filtered or fresh air is needed to limit infection risk. Neither standard is legally mandatory, but both are often treated in practice as the de facto standard of care in the U.S.
Four layers of control
The article outlines a layered control strategy that EHS teams can apply regardless of whether a legal mandate exists. The first layer is source control: promptly remediating water damage and isolating high-emission activities from the rest of the building. The second layer is periodically evaluating ventilation systems to confirm that equipment is actually performing as originally designed. The third layer covers filtration and air cleaning, supported by documented evaluations of vendors and equipment. The fourth layer involves heightened measures during exceptional circumstances, such as wildfire smoke, disease outbreaks, or HVAC system failures.
From policy to practice
The core recommendation is that IAQ should not be treated as a one-time project but as an ongoing management system. This begins with a baseline assessment of current air quality, followed by continuous performance monitoring against predetermined action thresholds that trigger intervention. Employee training is an essential part of this, as is thorough documentation of all decisions and corrective actions. That documentation is valuable not only for internal quality assurance but can also demonstrate that an organization acted with due diligence should a complaint or incident arise.
For EHS professionals worldwide, the message extends well beyond the American context: even where no legal IAQ standard exists, a structured, documented approach with clear action thresholds provides a solid foundation for managing indoor air quality seriously and demonstrably.
Source: From IAQ Guidelines to an Actionable Workplace Air Quality Program, September 11, 2026, https://www.ishn.com/articles/115594-from-iaq-guidelines-to-an-actionable-workplace-air-quality-program
