Indoor air is a lot worse than outdoor air. Many health symptoms experienced by workers are caused by indoor air pollution, which is precisely why it's essential to keep the air inside your commercial building clean and safe. This not only promotes comfort among your employees but also protects their health.
What is indoor air quality (IAQ)?
Indoor air quality describes how the air inside a building or facility affects a person’s health, comfort, and ability to work. It’s a major concern to businesses, employees, and rental managers because indoor air can have a huge impact on the well-being and productivity of employees.
Several studies by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarded indoor air pollution as a major problem. While most commercial buildings don’t have severe issues, even the most well-maintained buildings can have episodes of poor indoor air.
According to the EPA, poor indoor air quality can lead to productivity problems and increased absences among employees. It is estimated that all these health consequences cost the government billions of dollars each year due to medical care and productivity loss.
What causes poor indoor air quality?
Indoor air pollution is perhaps one of the most underrated health concerns in commercial and institutional buildings. And it isn’t hard to see why. Outdoor air, when heavily polluted, can be easily noticed (dark smoke, toxic smell, and bitter taste). But indoor air is different. It hides behind the cool and comforting air blown by the AC and the calming smell of air fresheners. And because people don’t see it, it’s easy to dismiss the fact that it exists.
So what makes indoor air polluted?
There are hundreds of air pollutants commonly found in homes and commercial facilities. Among the most common (and harmful) are tobacco smoke, dust, mold and mildew, chemical pollutants, and VOCs.
Cigarette smoke
Even if you or your employees do not smoke inside the building, cigarette smoke can linger on the smoker’s skin and clothes. That’s why when a smoker enters the office, you could smell it right away. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4000 chemical compounds, most of which are highly toxic and detrimental to the respiratory system.
Dust
Dust and other environmental pollutants such as mites contribute to indoor air pollution. Without sufficient ventilation, these tiny pollutants can easily circulate around your office, triggering allergy symptoms in some people.
Mold and mildew
When the temperature outside drops and the indoor air is heated, condensation can form around windows, causing moisture. High moisture content in indoor air provides the perfect environment for mold and mildew to thrive. Furthermore, if you have water damage issues in the office, there’s a very high chance that mold and mildew are present too.
Chemical pollutants
Building materials, office equipment; furniture, wall and floor coverings, upholstery, and virtually every commercially manufactured item in your workplace emit chemical pollutants. They include polybrominated biphenyl (PBB), polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), polyurethane, formaldehyde, and VOCs.
How to detect possible indoor air quality issues?
It can be difficult to determine the causes of indoor air pollution, especially in commercial facilities. Often, facility managers will only notice it when people start experiencing symptoms triggered by IAQ.
The approaches taken to detect possible indoor air quality issues vary among organizations, but they normally include the following steps:
- Inspection of the ventilation system to see if a sufficient amount of outdoor air is taken in and properly distributed throughout the area and if the filtration systems are working.
- Ruling out possible triggers of symptoms such as thermal comfort, noise, ergonomics, poor lighting, etc.
- Testing for the presence of air pollutants (mold, asbestos, carbon monoxide, other chemicals, and toxic gases). This can be done using air testing kits. Samples are then submitted to the lab for analysis.
How do you Improve your Workplace Indoor Air Quality?
Keep your workplace clean
A clean workplace has lower levels of mold, dust, allergens, and contaminants that could spread through the air. Consider using eco-friendly cleaning products that do not release harsh chemical compounds into the air.
Use air-cleaning devices
Having commercial-grade equipment in your disposition, such as air scrubbers, dehumidifiers, and air purifiers are a great way to keep your IAQ at good levels and prevent the need to hire professionals.
Change HVAC filters regularly
HVAC systems should be cleaned regularly. Be sure to change the filters from time to time to prevent dust and other air pollutants from circulating back to your indoor air. Clogged filters can interrupt airflow and speed up the build-up of pollutants in enclosed spaces.
Observe proper ventilation
Whenever possible, turn of your HVAC system and open the windows to allow outdoor air to enter the building. Be sure to keep air vents unblocked. Placing furniture, storage boxes, chairs, or cabinets in front air vents will disrupt air circulation, causing your workplace to feel stuffy. Indoor plants are also a great addition to your office. They are not only refreshing to the eyes but can also help promote your indoor air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen into the air.
Conduct regular air tests
Performing an indoor air testing will provide you with the right information and insights to make your IAQ improvement plan more directed and efficient. Air quality tests include checking humidity levels, airflow, ventilation, mold growth, odors, and water damage.
Conclusion
Indoor air quality should be one of the most important concerns in your workplace as it directly affects the overall health and wellbeing of your staff and employees. Poor IAQ can increase the risk of many health problems, from respiratory illnesses to infections. It can even compromise your mental health.
You have two options to improve your indoor air quality. You can either hire professionals or do everything by yourself. Which one you will choose is up to you.
Know that there are things you can do to promote the IAQ in your workplace. These include keeping your place clean, maintaining your HVAC system, changing filters regularly, and conducting regular air tests.
