Protecting Building Occupants and Workers from Nitrogen Dioxide Hazards

The New York State Department of Health lists nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) as one of the indoor air pollutants that can have an impact on people’s health. Nitrogen dioxide, along with nitric oxide (NO), are the two most prevalent oxides of nitrogen according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Both are toxic gases with nitrogen dioxide being a highly reactive oxidant and corrosive.

Potential health effects associated with exposure to elevated levels of nitrogen dioxide listed by EPA include:

• NO₂ acts mainly as an irritant affecting the mucosa of the eyes, nose, throat, and respiratory tract
• Extremely high-dose exposure (as in a building fire) may result in pulmonary edema and diffuse lung injury
• Continued exposure to high levels can contribute to the development of acute or chronic bronchitis
• Low level exposure may cause increased bronchial reactivity in some asthmatics, decreased lung function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and an increased risk of respiratory infections - especially in young children

Nitrogen dioxide primarily gets in the air from the burning of fuel. It forms from emissions from vehicles, power plants and off-road equipment. Indoors, the primary sources listed by EPA also come from combustion processes. These may include:

• Unvented combustion appliances, such as gas stoves
• Vented appliances with defective installations
• Welding
• Tobacco smoke
• Kerosene heaters

"Exposure to elevated concentrations of nitrogen dioxide can be a concern not only in residential and commercial settings, but it can also be an occupational hazard,” said Frank Selamie, President of CTSI. “This is why the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a Permissible Exposure Limit-Ceiling (PEL-C) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has a Recommended Exposure Limit-Short Term Exposure Limit (REL-STEL) for it.”

To protect building occupants and workers, and to help businesses comply with health and safety regulations, the industrial hygiene and IAQ professionals at CTSI offer their expertise. CTSI provides testing, monitoring, training, and consulting services to identify and mitigate exposure risks to nitrogen dioxide and numerous other hazards. They have even sponsored an educational video about nitrogen dioxide and the indoor environment that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/4i6ng9kuLkM

To learn more about CTSI and their indoor air quality, industrial hygiene, environmental, health, and safety services, please visit www.ctsiweb.com, email contactus@ctsiweb.com , or call (212) 971-7016.

About CTSI
Established in 1992, Consulting & Testing Services, Inc. (CTSI) was founded on one strong commitment: to provide efficient and expert services to clients based on professionalism, innovation, and cost-effective expert solutions. This commitment has been furthered with CTSI’s reputation in fostering client relationships in all sectors of the Environmental, Health, Safety, and Construction industries. CTSI prides itself in utilizing a high quality service based on its diverse team of staff and professionals’ concise recommendations and solutions to the most pressing dilemmas. The company operates offices in New York and Florida that service clients across the United States.

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

Contact via E-mail