Holistic understanding of ventilation rate in occupational health risk control

Throughout the history of occupational health risk control, ventilation has been implemented widely as a tried-and-true method to reduce exposure intensity to airborne contaminants. Proper determination of the ventilation rate merits careful consideration when addressing concerns directed toward occupational health and indoor air quality in commercial buildings, albeit this does not translate well among the current engineering and scientific community. This article aims to facilitate a better understanding and proper determination of ventilation rates as a countermeasure for occupational health risk control. To that end, guidance is provided to select the appropriate ventilation rate for nonpandemic versus pandemic scenarios in terms of pertinent regulatory/professional codes and mathematical modeling tools. Limitations and assumptions of the models are summarized to facilitate proper application. Furthermore, the emerging DNA-based aerosol tracing technology, which helps to verify ventilation efficacy, is discussed. Difficulties in balancing occupational health risks and an environmental footprint make the determination of ventilation rate not only complex but also confusing to the general public. This paper is the first attempt to address this dilemma through a systematic review and introduction to the shifting paradigm from the prescribed ventilation rate to demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) rate and health-based ventilation (HBV) rate with the concept of Equivalent Clean Air Delivery (eCAD).image

Automated summary

This article addresses the issue of determining ventilation rates for occupational health risk control. It provides guidance for selecting the appropriate ventilation rate and introduces relevant regulations and tools. Additionally, it discusses the emerging DNA-based aerosol tracing technology.