WHEREAS:

"Tighter" office buildings created in the last few years by increased conservation efforts, coupled with a variety of pollution sources in normal office settings in which AFSCME members work; and

WHEREAS:

The synergistic effects of air pollution from a variety of different sources in the office setting are just beginning to be studied: and

WHEREAS:

Air quality problems in many office buildings are exacerbated by subtle conditions about which most workers, including union activists, lack expertise; and

WHEREAS:

Many effective avenues presently exist for at least partially resolving indoor air pollution problems in individual buildings.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

That AFSCME work for establishment of adequate indoor air standards for office buildings and petition OSHA toward that end; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That those standards include minimum allowable levels of certain substances such as formaldehyde, and byproducts of copy machine operation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That those standards include a requirement that buildings be operated in terms of air exchange in accordance with the design code; that the design code be at least as stringent as that put forward by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers; and a requirement that new or stronger contaminant sources than can be accommodated in the original design cannot be introduced; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That those standards discourage the use of certain types of particle board and other formaldehyde out-gassing materials; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME support legislation to deal with indoor air pollution, such as that recently proposed by Senator George Mitchell (D-Maine); and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:

That AFSCME pay special attention in its Safety and Health publications and other educational efforts to indoor air pollution and to practical immediate steps that can be taken to deal with the problems of indoor air pollution in the office.

SUBMITTED BY:

John Birnel, President
Cecilia Saari, Recording Secretary
AFSCME Local 843, Council 28
Seattle, Washington