Development of a model for evaluation of local exhaust ventilation for mail-processing equipment.

摘要

In October 2001, the mail distribution system of the United States Postal Service was used to distribute envelopes containing Bacillus anthracis spores by unknown terrorist(s), resulting in 22 cases of anthrax, as well as the closing of the Brentwood Mail Facility in Washington, DC and the Hamilton Township Facility in New Jersey. The development and installation of local exhaust ventilation onto mail and/or package processing machinery is intended to reduce future operator and customer exposure to potentially hazardous contaminants, like anthrax, emitted from letter mail.{09}This document presents the development of a model to be used as a basis for testing local exhaust ventilation for any organization that processes large quantities of mail, the recommended model focuses on a combination of tracer gas testing, smoke release observations and air velocity measurements. Additionally, the model is validated by results from field testing.