Yokohama City Public Building Sick House Countermeasures Guidelines

By compiling matters to be noted in the construction and management of public buildings as guidelines, the construction department and facility managers will respond appropriately, and reduce the concentration of harmful chemical substances in the indoor air of facilities used by citizens. I will recommend it.

Among buildings constructed or managed by the city, buildings used by many citizens (hereinafter referred to as "public buildings")

This guideline was created as a basic policy for each department to work together on the sick house problem of public buildings in the city, and details of the contents to be addressed are described in the manual of this guideline (hereinafter referred to as "Manual"). ).
In the future, in the comprehensive promotion of sick house measures, we will closely monitor the trends of the relevant ministries and agencies of the country and conduct a wide range of studies, and if new knowledge is obtained, we will review these guidelines and manuals as needed.

The construction department and facility manager perform the following in building design such as new construction, remodeling, and renovation of public buildings.

(1)Consideration of building materials used
As for the building materials to be used, whether indoors or outdoors, including the base material, do not dissipate formaldehyde, toluene, etc., or select materials with a small amount of dissipation, and specify them in the design documents.

(2)Consideration of construction methods and securing appropriate ventilation volume
If it is unavoidable to use building materials containing formaldehyde, toluene, etc., we will select a construction method that minimizes the impact on the indoor environment, etc., and design to ensure proper ventilation volume for ventilation.

(3)Implementation of indoor concentration measurement, etc.
In order to measure indoor concentrations and take necessary measures based on the results before delivery, we anticipate costs and time in advance.

The Construction Department will perform the following management in the construction work.

(1)We conduct material acceptance inspections to confirm whether the materials used are appropriate and safe materials using the "Safety Data Sheet for Chemical Substances" (MSDS), etc., and take measures to prevent ventilation in material storage locations and prevent the transition of chemical substances between materials.

(2)We will strive for ventilation ventilation not only during construction but also during completion and delivery.

(3)In construction while using facilities, such as indoor and outdoor renovation work, replacement / renovation of equipment equipment, etc., we will make sufficient meetings with the facility manager and consider the safety of users.

(4)The indoor concentration measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)*1 will be carried out in accordance with the “Indoor Concentration Measurement Manual for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) under the jurisdiction of City of Yokohama, Housing and Architecture Bureau” before delivery.

When purchasing new fixtures such as desks and chairs, the facility manager will consider selecting a specification that has a low amount of chemical substances such as formaldehyde.

(1)In order to confirm the safety of air quality in the living room, the facility manager will measure the indoor concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (* Note 1) in the following cases. In addition, among the facilities already used at the time of enforcement of these guidelines, for facilities that have not performed indoor concentration measurement, indoor concentration measurement will be systematically performed to confirm safety.

Oh, when it is delivered after new construction, extension, renovation, indoor and outdoor renovation work (* Note 2) and the furniture is brought in
B. The first summer to visit after new construction, extension, renovation, and indoor and outdoor renovation work (* Note 2).
(C) When furniture is significantly replaced

(2)The facility manager shall take the following measures if the measurement of indoor concentrations such as VOCs in (1) exceeds the guideline value of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

A. Cause investigation, improvement measures, safety confirmation
As a general rule, stop using the facility, investigate the cause, take measures such as removing the causative substance and sufficiently ventilate, and then re-measure and confirm that the guideline value has not been exceeded. Restart the use of the facility.

B. Response to health hazards
In public buildings that exceed the guideline value, if there is a complaint or consultation from citizens, etc. that may cause health damage caused by chemical substances such as poor physical condition, investigate the cause and recommend consultation with a medical institution .

The facility manager performs the following as daily management.

(1)Consideration for the use of chemical substances
In principle, when using chemicals and daily necessities such as insecticide, floor waxes, toilet aroma and deodorants, substances that contain indoor concentration guidelines as causative substances of sick house syndrome by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare are not used.

(2)Ensure proper ventilation volume
In the case of natural ventilation, the windows should be opened in consideration of ventilation.
If mechanical ventilation equipment such as a ventilation fan is installed, make sure that the appropriate amount of ventilation is ensured, and perform sufficient ventilation such as operating the ventilation equipment at all times.

(1)Announcement of measurement results
When the construction department and facility manager carry out indoor concentration measurement such as VOC for safety confirmation in public buildings, they announce the measurement results promptly in cooperation with the liaison meeting.

(2)Providing information to staff and citizens
The liaison meeting will disseminate the contents of these guidelines to the staff of related departments, etc., who are facility managers, in order to comprehensively promote sick house measures.
In addition, we provide citizens with information related to sick house measures.

(3)Efforts with Affiliated Organizations
The liaison meeting will work to ensure that related organizations such as manufacturers can further promote voluntary sick house measures.

Note 1: Among the substances specified by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for indoor concentration guidelines, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, and styrene are used.

Note 2: This refers to indoor renovation, renovation work, outdoor renovation, such as waterproofing and exterior wall painting of the surface in contact with the living room.