How do we know if our air is safe to breathe? We compare measured pollution levels with established outdoor air regulations, but not all potential pollutants are consistently monitored and regulated. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are potentially hazardous chemicals that can be found in the air, but ambient outdoor air regulations have not been established. To assess the risk of VOCs in Albuquerque, New Mexico, we compared VOC concentrations to indoor air regulations from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). We found that VOC concentrations are roughly two orders of magnitude below the OSHA regulations, but that the regulations are insufficient for this situation due to the differences in demographics and exposure. This research brings us closer to assessing the risk of VOCs and establishing outdoor air regulations for hazardous pollutants, improving the quality of air we breathe, and thus the health of everyone in our community.