BUILDING HUMIDIFICATION
ISSUE:
Use of steam from the facility's boiler plant for building
humidification.
BACKGROUND:
VA criteria allow use of direct steam from its boiler plants, a ready
and reliable source of steam. However, there has been some concern
expressed in the industry because of the chemicals used to treat
boiler water.
DISCUSSION:
VA's DASHO (Designated Agency Safety and Health Official) issued a
memorandum dated October 4, 1990, communicating OSHA's position on its
Hazard Communication Standard for airborne anti-corrosive chemicals
from steam injection humidifiers. OSHA classified these chemicals as
consumer products under 29 CFR 1910.1200 (b) (6) (vii). Therefore,
DASHO determined modification of VA humidification was not required
and special notification of building occupants of the presence of
these chemicals was not required by OSHA. However, the DASHO,
recommends that for new construction, humidification systems that do
not require the use of the facility's boiler water should be
considered. The following table shows comparisons of various types of
steam humidifiers.
Humidifier
Initial
Energy
Maintenance
Life
Cost
Cost
Cycle
Cost
Direct Steam
1
1
1
1
Steam-to-Steam
5
2
3
3
Electronic Steam (Electrode
3
4
4
4
Type)
Electronic Steam (Immersed
3
4
4
4
Element)
Electronic Steam (With
3
4
2
3
immersed element with ionic
bed)
* Table based on an article published in The NEWS dated February 23,
1998.
Ranking: 1 = Excellent, 2 = Very good, 3 = Good, 4 = Fair, and 5 =
Poor
13 January 1999
FM-187C-DA95
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