New ANSI/AIHA Standards
The Accredited Standards Committee Z9 on Ventilation
Systems is proposing two new standards for development.
The formation of subcommittees for both standards has been
approved by the Z9 Committee members and the Committee
is seeking new members.
Design, Operation and Maintenance of Combustible Dust
Collection Systems
This standard will apply to dust control systems with com-
bustible solids that are a fire, deflagration, explosion or deto-
nation hazard. This standard will augment the content of
other Z9 standards and will offer prudent practice regarding:
• Analysis of systems for combustible dust hazards
• Design guidance to mitigate combustible dust hazards
• Maintenance recommendations to insure systems operate
per original design intent
The subcommittee chair is Lee Hathon and the vice chair is
Theodore Knutson.
Design, Operation, Testing and Maintenance of Laminar
Flow Fume Hoods
This standard will apply to laminar flow fume hoods (LFFH)
that use filtered supply air and ducted exhaust to protect
products inside the hood from external contamination and exhaust hazardous effluents from the building. This standard
will provide guidelines for design, operation, testing and
maintenance of laminar flow fume hoods.
Laminar flow fume hoods are complicated exposure control
devices that must be designed and operated properly to provide
both product and personnel protection. At present, no standards provide guidelines for design, operation and testing, and
there is little consistency among LFFHs and how they operate.
In addition, there is no guidance on methods to conduct tests
to ensure proper performance or monitor and maintain reliable
operation. This standard will provide the necessary guidelines
to improve performance of LFFHs and ensure better protection
for personnel working with potentially hazardous materials.
The subcommittee chair is Thomas C. Smith and the vice
chair is Dr. Gerhard Knutson.
Performance Testing and Maintenance of Non-NFPA
Covered Respirators and Personnel Qualifications
The Z88 Committee is expected to vote in December to ap-
prove the formation of a subcommittee to work on this stan-
dard. It will cover all respiratory equipment not covered by
NFPA testing requirements, including but not limited to airline
respirators, PAPRs, airline escape respirators, sandblast and
painting helmets and hoods, and negative pressure respirators
(non-limited use). The standard will establish properly trained
technicians who will follow appropriate performance testing
standards to assure respirators continue to perform at their
designed protection factors after maintenance and on an on-
going basis. Stakeholders will include manufacturer's design-
ers, testers, program administrators, and end users.
Public Review Notices for Revisions
ANSI/AIHA Z88.10 2001 Respirator Fit-Testing Methods.
This standard provides guidance on how to conduct fit-testing
of tight-fitting respirators. Fit-testing is only one element of a
complete respiratory protection program. Comments are due
by Nov. 2, 2009.
ANSI/AIHA Z88.7 2001 Color Coding of Air Purifying Respirator Canisters, Cartridges and Filters. The requirements of
this standard apply to the identification of air-purifying respirator canisters, cartridges and filters used to provide respiratory protection against gases, vapors or particles. These
requirements apply to canisters, cartridges, and any high-effi-ciency filters, whether encapsulated or un-encapsulated, used
as components of air-purifying respirators. Comments are due
by Nov. 9, 2009.
ANSI/AIHA Z9.5 Standard on Laboratory Ventilation
The draft standard is currently being balloted by the subcommittee. In November 2009, the standard will be balloted by the
ASC Z9 committee and be available for public review.
Notable changes to this revision of the ANSI/AIHA Z9.5
standard include:
• Adding energy considerations within the scope of standard
• Reverting back to use of the term "fume hood," which the
committee tried to banish with the 2003 standard because
the technical AIHA definition of "fume" is a solid particle
• Replacing the current lower limit on air flow through a
fume hood ( 25 cfm/sq. ft.) with a range of values and
guidance on how to select the minimum flow
• Increasing emphasis on a Laboratory Ventilation Manage-
ment Plan
• Increasing information on capabilities and limitation of
ductless fume hoods
• Designing information relative to emergency modes of oper-
ation (e.g., ensuring that emergency mode operations do not
prevent emergency egress due to extreme pressure differen-
tials)
• Updating the Preventive Maintenance section
All notices for public comment and Project Initiation
Notification were published in the ANSI Standards Action
publication as well as on the AIHA website ( www.aiha.org).
If you have any questions or comments, or would like to join
a subcommittee, contact Mili Mavely, AIHA’s manager of
standards and guidelines, at mmavely@aiha.org.
