Indoor air is worse than outdoor air. Indoor air pollution can cause many health problems for workers. It is why it is so important to maintain safe and clean air in commercial buildings. This will not only improve the comfort of your employees but also protect their health.
What is Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)?
Indoor air quality refers to the way indoor air affects people’s health, comfort, and ability to work. Air quality analysis is a concern for businesses, employees, and managers of rental agencies, as indoor air can have a significant impact on productivity and well-being.
What is the reason of poor indoor air quality?
Indoor air pollution is one of the biggest health problems in commercial and institutional buildings. It’s easy to see why. When outdoor air is polluted, it can easily be noticed by its dark smoke, toxic smell, and bitter taste. But indoor air is different. It is hidden behind the cool and comfortable air from the AC and the pleasant smell of air fresheners. It’s hard to believe that people can’t see it.
What is the problem with indoor air pollution?
Many air pollutants are common in commercial and residential buildings. The most harmful and common air pollutants are tobacco smoke, mold, mildew, chemical pollutants, and VOCs.
Cigarette smoke
Even if your employees don’t smoke in the building, the cigarette smoke can still linger on their skins and clothing. It is possible to smell the smoke if a smoker enters your office.
Dust
Indoor air pollution is caused by dust and other environmental pollutants like mites. These tiny pollutants can easily spread around the office and cause allergy symptoms for some people.
Mildew and mold
Condensation can form around windows when the outside temperature drops and indoor air is heated. This can lead to moisture. Mold and mildew thrive in moist indoor air. Mold and mildew can also be present if there are water damage issues at work.
Chemical pollutants
Chemical pollutants are found in almost every item manufactured commercially at work, including office furniture, building materials, and wall and floor coverings. They include polybrominated Biphenyl, polychlorinated Biphenyl, polyurethane (PCB), formaldehyde and VOCs.
How can you detect indoor air quality problems?
Indoor air pollution can be hard to identify, especially in commercial buildings. Facility managers often only become aware of it when IAQ causes symptoms.
Although the methods used to determine indoor air quality problems vary between organizations, they all include the following steps.
Inspect the ventilation system to determine if sufficient outdoor air is being taken in and distributed evenly throughout the area. Also, check if the filtration systems work.
You can eliminate possible triggers such as noise, thermal comfort, ergonomics, lighting problems, and so on.
Tests for air pollutants such as mold, asbestos, carbon monoxide, and other chemicals or toxic gases. You can use air testing kits to do this.
How can you improve indoor air quality at work?
- Keep your workplace clean
- Use air-cleaning devices
- Regularly change your HVAC filters
- Observe proper ventilation
- Conduct regular air tests
Conclusion
Because indoor air quality directly impacts the health and well-being of employees and staff, it should be one of the top priorities in your workplace. Low IAQ can lead to many health issues, including infections and respiratory illness.
You have two options to improve indoor air quality. There are two options for improving your indoor air quality: either hire professionals or do it yourself.
There are many things you can do to improve the IAQ at work. You can promote IAQ by keeping your workplace clean, maintaining your HVAC system, and changing your filters frequently.