Workplace safety: The importance of indoor air quality

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YourTown Friday, September 29, 2000 1:14 AM

Workplace safety: The importance of indoor air quality

Staff reports

Indoor air quality may be the most important element in keeping an office a

healthy and pleasant place to work. Good quality air is air that can be

breathed continuously without risk to health. Poor air quality can irritate

eyes, skin, nose and throat. It can cause mental fatigue, headaches, a

stuffy nose and other flu-like symptoms.

The most common cause of poor office air quality may come from biological or

chemical sources. Biological sources may be bacterial or fungal. Fungal air

contamination may arise from constantly wet or damp building materials.

Bacterial sources may arise from poor housekeeping in the office space or

the office ventilation system. Chemical gases and vapors may arise from new

office furnishings or cleaning solvents. Any of the above contaminants may

irritate tissues or precipitate flu-like symptoms. Sometimes these

contaminants may trigger allergic reactions or even cause an infection.

Often where there is an air quality problem, the source may be obvious, such

as vapors and gases from carpet glue, wet paint or a dried out sewer drain.

However, sometimes the source may be elusive, and often the symptoms are not

specific for a particular type of contaminant.

What you can do:

- First, see if there are any sources of chemical or other contamination to

the building's ventilation system.

- Make sure the building's ventilation system is cleaned regularly and kept

in proper working order.

- Don't block air intakes or diffusers with furniture or other equipment

which will prevent air circulation.

- Eliminate air contaminants at the source.

- Keep lids on containers of solvents. Better yet, use non-solvent based

products.

- Employees who smoke should smoke outdoors.

- Photocopiers should be in a separate room, and ideally vented to the

outdoors.

- Consider having office air tested by a professional industrial hygienist.