Oklahoma Indoor Air
How do residents of Oklahoma seek information about indoor air quality and address potential concerns with air quality in their residence or in public buildings? A brief introduction to information and services that are available through Oklahoma state and county agencies regarding indoor air quality is included in this wiki.
Note: The Oklahoma Department of Health declined to participate in our national survey regarding state agencies response to residential indoor air concerns. The information provided here was obtained through online searches.
Contact Information
Oklahoma State Department of Health
1000 NE 10th St
Oklahoma City, OK 73117
405-271-5600
Indoor Air Information and State Services
The state of Oklahoma currently does not have an indoor air quality program, and there does not appear to be a department responsible for receiving or responding to inquiries about air quality in residential spaces. On the Department of Health website, fact sheets are available for carbon monoxide, lead, mold, radon, and healthy homes principles. Additionally, there is a synthesizing pamphlet for general indoor air quality that discusses radon, carbon monoxide, secondhand smoke, and mold, and ways to mitigate exposure to these irritants. The Oklahoma Department of Health is seeking funding for a program that would address some indoor air quality concerns, the Oklahoma Healthy Homes for Healthy Families Initiative.
There is an Oklahoma state-wide initiative to reduce secondhand tobacco smoke exposure, Breathe Easy OK. This website include reports about secondhand smoke health effects and regulations, and contact information for a smoking cessation hotline.
State-wide building codes, which can significantly influence indoor air quality, can be found online on the Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission website. As noted on their website, some counties and municipalities may adopt and enforce building codes, but are not required to do so. A quick scan of the jurisdictional information listed on the website shows that the majority of cities and counties opt out of enforcing building codes, relying on the state-level Oklahoma Fire Marshall to enforce building codes across the state.
Local Services
Each county’s Board of Health is responsible for basic public welfare, but does not have explicit responsibility to address indoor air quality concerns. Contact information for each county’s Board of Health can be found online here. Some counties enforce state building codes, and some have additional building and hazard codes. Most counties, however, do not.
If you have an indoor air quality concern
For immediate concerns regarding indoor air quality in residential and private buildings, Oklahoma residents are encouraged to hire environmental contractors to assess and remediate the problematic situation.
