Draft guidance on improving indoor air quality in office buildings: Hiring a professional

On this page

• Introduction
• Professional services
• Scope of work agreement

Introduction

In some situations, it may not be apparent what the issues are and how to address them, or the skills needed may not be available in-house.

Building operators or employers may need to hire the services of a qualified professional or organization that has the necessary skills, training and equipment to further investigate and remediate the issue.

The activities of the IAQ resolution team (that is walkthrough, assessment, and occupant surveys), which take into consideration the building, its ventilation system, its occupants, and how these elements interact, result in gathered information that may be valuable when consulting with a professional. It may provide the professional with the important details to help them determine what actions need to be taken and whether specialized equipment or additional information is needed to further investigate and address the issue.

Professional services

Professionals may be qualified individuals, technicians or consultants who can offer a wide range of services.

Even when the resolution team can identify the potential issue, if building operators are not able, qualified professionals would be required to install, maintain, repair or adjust the ventilation system. In addition, licenced or specifically trained professionals are required in certain situations, such as asbestos abatement or large mould area remediation.

Careful documentation of the professional's competencies, work carried out and project communications is important, especially in the case of an investigation into an IAQ complaint if it proceeds to litigation or a mediation process.

Choosing a professional

When choosing a professional, consider the individual's or organization's competency to perform the tasks required. In general, for individuals to be competent in the aspects of their work, they will have a combination of the following requirements:

• Be qualified to do the work because of their knowledge, skills, training and experience.
• Know about the hazards and risks associated with the job or task to be performed (such as know what hazards and risks are likely present and how to safely and effectively address them).
• Know how to recognize, assess and control these hazards and risks (such as know what precautions to take, what controls to use, or what needs to be in place for the different hazards or risks).
• Know how to work in compliance with all laws, codes and standards that apply.

Depending on the issues to be resolved, the professional(s) should be:

• able to address the specific issues of the workplace
• familiar with any IAQ legal requirements, codes, standards and guidelines that apply (such as familiar with the Building Code for that jurisdiction and the ventilation requirements prescribed in the Code)
• qualified to assess thermal comfort, ventilation, building envelope issues, and IAQ contaminants
• experienced with HVAC system performance, operation and maintenance;
• experienced in IAQ investigations
• able to provide guidance, updates and interpretation of results
• able to provide actionable recommendations related to their area of specialization (such as HVAC, building envelope, IAQ investigations, and remediation)
• accredited (such as the laboratory used to analyze samples) or credentialed (such as licensed in occupational hygiene or HVAC design and installation), where needed
• able to provide references

Verifying experience, credentials and qualifications

Before hiring a professional, always confirm their experience, request samples of work, and check references. Contacting previous clients and verifying the individual's or organization's competence, professionalism and ability to deliver timely results can help provide reassurance in selecting the right service provider. Organizations such as the Better Business Bureau will list accredited businesses that provide various services, including heating and air conditioning. Accrediting bodies may also provide a list of certified professionals in your area on their website.

A verification of qualifications, including licenses, degrees, certificates, liability insurance, and worker's compensation coverage, is good practice and may also be required. In order to satisfy any legal obligations, an employer may need to demonstrate through records that someone acting on their behalf in this capacity is adequately qualified or competent. Therefore, it is important to request and keep documentation of the person's qualifications, their resume, and verified references.

A professional should not be offended by this request and should willingly provide the documentation supporting their experience or credentials.

Scope of work agreement

When discussing the situation with a professional, the information gathered during the walkthrough, assessment, and occupant surveys will help to plan the work that needs to be completed by the professional (known as the "scope of work"). Establishing an agreement that covers the scope or range of the work the professional will complete is important.

The agreement should include a description of:

• the methods that will be used
• the schedule, costs and deliverables, such as air sampling, reports and training for building staff
• who will complete which tasks (such as some tasks may be able to be completed by building staff)
• the type and frequency of communications between the professional and the building operator or employer

For example, if the professional will conduct air sampling, consider:

• what contaminants should be measured
• what sampling and analysis methods will be used
• where and when to take samples
• which laboratory will analyze the samples and whether they are certified/qualified
• whether any direct reading instruments that will be used are appropriate for the work and that their calibrations are documented and within manufacturers specifications
• how the results will be used and interpreted (such as in comparison to standards or guidelines or in comparison to levels from an area without issues raised?)

See Sampling or monitoring indoor air pollutants for more information on air sampling.

A written agreement is valuable because it describes how the professional will achieve the expected outcomes (deliverables) and in what timeframe. In addition to the agreement elements listed above, the scope of work may also:

• outline the professional's duties and authority
• clarify any procedural expectations by the client (such as how the professional will access the work site, read records, or conduct research with workers)
• outline how much work will be done in terms of the various aspects of the issue or project
• outline the tasks to be performed and results required (such as recommendations, interpretation of results, corrective actions)
• list any requirements for final reports or any restrictions on developing recommendations
• outline steps to be taken to ensure confidentiality, payment terms, termination clauses

While many actions can be taken by the building operator or employer to resolve IAQ issues, there will be situations in which hiring a qualified professional(s) is necessary. As with any business activity, do research and make sure to engage the services of a qualified professional or organization that has the necessary skills, training and equipment to further investigate and remediate the issue.

It can also be important to understand the delineation of next steps for any identified deficiencies, such as who will carry out this work and the process by which it will be awarded. For example, if a mould or asbestos issue is identified, it is important to understand in advance who will identify, hire and oversee the work to ensure any conflict-of-interest issues are appropriately documented and managed.