When working in an office environment, there are usually a lot of things to contend with throughout the day besides getting your work done. There can be an array of distractions, some welcome and some not. One thing that most people usually don’t think about is if their office air quality is safe. However, it is something to seriously consider and not something for only your manager or office owner to worry about. It is everyone’s job to help maintain a productive work environment. Carolina Services Inc. has put together a quick guide on why office air quality is important and steps to resolve and maintain high office air quality.
We all have to work to make a living. The majority of us toil in some sort of office setting, while the lucky few get to work from home or spend some of their time outside. This is not the case for everyone. Modern adults spend around 90% of their time indoors, and most of that 90% in an office. It would make sense that the office air quality would be the best since we spend so much of our time inside.
The definition for high air quality is quite simple. If the space is at a comfortable temperature and humidity as well as lots of outdoor air, and control is taken of pollutants in the space and eliminated as quickly as possible, then the office air quality will be high. This, however, can be a daunting task since it is something that is a fairly constant job, consisting of checking the air quality and making little tweaks and adjustments to keep the air quality high.
If this is not done, there are some serious consequences to the people who are in that environment. The top consequence is illness. When your office air quality is poor, it is easier to catch any cold or bug that comes along. Along with that, some other ailments that can occur are headaches, dry eyes, fatigue, and nasal congestion. These reasons alone show why it is important always to keep your office air quality as high as it can be.
There are many ways to keep your office air quality high. These include:
- Don’t block vents or grilles that would impede air flow
- For those of you who smoke, comply with your office smoking policy
- Clean up water spills promptly
- Dispose of garbage quickly
- Store food properly
When indoor or outdoor pollutants invade your office there is a very easy procedure to get rid of them. The first is managing the source of the pollutant and, at best, removing it. If that can’t be done, try to isolate it until you can remove it. If removal isn’t an option, then do your best to limit everyone’s exposure to the pollutant. After you have managed it, next you need to dilute the pollutant and remove it. After it has been removed from your office you need to filter out the air to clean it. The best way to do this would be to open windows and let a good breeze sweep over the office for a few hours. Not only will it clean the air but it will lift everyone’s mood.
If your space needs some help restructuring its layout to keep your office air quality high, contact us today and we can redesign a layout that will work with any size!
Photo by: Phil Whitehouse
