When it comes to the work environment, air quality can affect everyone. Whether the air is too hot, too cold, too moist or too dry, it's going to affect the people who work for you. While there isn't much you can do to take care of every personal preference in regards to temperature and moisture, there is something you can do about the actual quality of the air that your employees are breathing in each day. Poor air quality to lead to health related complaints such as the following:
- Headaches
- Irritation of the eyes and nose
- Fatigue
To help keep health-related complaints from interfering with productivity, you can ensure that the air your employees are breathing is clean. Here are three things you should know about improving the air quality in the workplace.
Sources of Air Quality Problems
When dealing with air quality problems, it's important to understand that contaminants can come from anywhere. Some of the most common sources of air quality problems in the workplace include dust, airborne chemicals, mold and bacteria. If your employees are allowed to smoke on the premises – even in patios located outside the building – cigarette smoke may also be a source of poor air quality.
Proper Ventilation is Important
Proper ventilation is one of the most important components of a clean air system in the workplace. A properly running ventilation system will keep the air clean and remove contaminants that could make your employees sick. In fact, without a proper ventilation system, illnesses can spread like wildfire through an office building. Proper ventilation will prevent viruses from circulating through the building, which will increase productivity as fewer people require sick days to recover from illnesses that they contracted at work.
Air Should Be Tested
If you're not sure about the specific air quality inside your building, you should have it tested. Thorough air testing will detect harmful contaminants that could be making your employees sick. One of the things that air testing will detect is CO2. Increased CO2 levels indicate that your ventilation system is not circulating enough fresh outside air with the air inside your building. Once you've had your air tested, you'll be able to take appropriate measures to provide clean air for your employees.
If you haven't had the air inside your industrial building tested, you need to do that. Contaminated air can pose a health risk for you and your employees. For maximum protection, you should have clean air systems installed.
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