The one substance that is needed to sustain life is oxygen. The air is important to a person’s wellbeing and their physical health. Without clean air people’s health becomes compromised and often times this leads to doctor’s visits and sick time. No employer wants an employee to be sick, and the loss of production while the employee is out sick translates to lost revenue for the employer.
The one substance that is needed to sustain life is oxygen. The air is important to a person’s wellbeing and their physical health. Without clean air people’s health becomes compromised and often times this leads to doctor’s visits and sick time. No employer wants an employee to be sick, and the loss of production while the employee is out sick translates to lost revenue for the employer.
When people think that it is the air they breathe that is causing them to be sick they can become hyper vigilant about tracking their symptoms. Sometimes this hypersensitivity can cause phantom symptoms and sometimes it can cause a suspicious employer to doubt the validity of the employee’s claim. Once the employee has made their case in a rational fashion then the employer will often call an Industrial Hygienist to visit the facility and conduct what is referred to as an Indoor Air Quality Test, or an IAQ.
IAQs tell people what types of particulates are in the air. Initially the industrial hygienist will perform a cursory inspection of the property. This usually happens with the building maintenance manager. The two will walk around the building and the maintenance manager will discuss any types of leaks or floods that the building has experienced. He might mention if there has been a new roof installed depending on what type of commercial building it is, and he could possibly talk about the HVAC system.
In large commercial buildings typically the building and floors are divided up into different zones. Each zone will have specific air handling units that are responsible for that zone. It is important to the Industrial Hygienist to know about the different zones as if complaints are coming from a certain air handling unit then the problem may be with that particular unit.
Once the walk through is complete, the Industrial Hygienist will make the decision on where to set up air monitors. If the complaint originated form employees actually seeing suspicious signs of mold then he will put a monitor in that room and possibly take a surface sample or tape lift of the visible mold. He would at least put one air monitor in the impacted space, one in an area not known to be impacted and a final one outside. They call the outside sample a reference sample, as they use it as reference to the levels of mold spores outside and compare them with the levels they found inside.
If you would like to have an IAQ performed on your office building, plant or facility click here to find and Industrial Hygienist in your area.
Occupational Health Overcomes Everyday Hazards
Many workers face different types of hazards on a daily basis. Each company has a responsibility to proactively protect their employees from hazards encountered in the workplace. Accidents or injuries can bring production to a halt, reduce the workforce while the employee is recovering and lead to costly worker compensation claims. A Certified Industrial Hygienist can help your company improve the Occupational Health present at your facility.
The Risk from Asbestos
Asbestos poses a major health risk in many office buildings and homes due to the wide adoption and usage of asbestos as an insulator in the construction process. Asbestos can be found in the glue beneath vinyl flooring or in material applied to concrete to regulate the temperature between floors in an office building. These buildings and homes are being remodeled and modernized as an update to the space, but the demolition process can be hazardous if asbestos is present. Test for asbestos prior to starting your next remodeling project to ensure workers are safe.
Communicating the Dangers with HazCom
Hazard Communication focuses on explaining the dangers present at the workplace. The employees have a right to understand the hazards present and how to remain safe on the jobsite. A Certified Industrial Hygienist can work with your company to fulfill the HazCom requirement set forth by OSHA.
