Indoor air quality is an important component to keep employees healthy and productive. Symptoms of deficient air quality can present in many different ways such as fatigue, headaches, difficulty focusing, and soreness of the nose, lungs, throat, and eyes. These symptoms can be early warning signs for problems that lead to longer lasting health issues. For instance, asthma has been linked to damp indoor environments. Other environments with radon or asbestos may not show immediate symptoms, yet have permanent and very series health implications.
Indoor air quality is an important component to keep employees healthy and productive. Symptoms of deficient air quality can present in many different ways such as fatigue, headaches, difficulty focusing, and soreness of the nose, lungs, throat, and eyes. These symptoms can be early warning signs for problems that lead to longer lasting health issues. For instance, asthma has been linked to damp indoor environments. Other environments with radon or asbestos may not show immediate symptoms, yet have permanent and very series health implications.
Poor indoor air quality can be compounded by poor ventilation from inadequate outside air, the inability to properly control internal building temperatures, recent renovations, and too low or high of humidity. Specifically for indoor renovations, dust from the work can permeate through the buildings ventilation system. This is also true for mold spores, fumes from harsh cleaning supplies, and other airborne pesticides. The ventilation system becomes a delivery system, by which the entire building is affected. Every floor and office can then be susceptible to endangering the employees by the spread of airborne pathogens.
Often a proper ventilation system and frequent testing can mitigate these issues in office buildings. OSHA does not have specific indoor air quality standards, but this area falls under the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act; which mandates employers to have a safe working environment, free from any known hazards that are likely to instigate injury or death. However, OSHA does have very specific standards for ventilation systems and air contaminants that are involved in indoor air quality. Special equipment can be used to test and analyze indoor air quality and quickly identify and issues or deficiencies. Please click here to find a local Certified Industrial Hygienist to have your building tested.
Indoor air quality is a catalyst for airborne pathogens and should be taken seriously within every office environment. A Certified Industrial Hygienist is trained to look through buildings, new and old, for problem areas and quickly identify solutions. Proper monitoring and testing will ensure compliance with OSHA standards, avoiding costly fines. Any frequent complaints of headache or difficulty concentrating may be a sign of poor indoor air quality and patterns of complaints should be carefully scrutinized and documented to determine if there may be an underlying cause. If a cause is discovered, the Certified Industrial Hygienist will need to monitor the building closely to ensure the problem has been fixed and follow up through scheduled visits to ensure the problem has not recurred.
To contact a Certified Industrial Hygienist in your area, click here.
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.