Breathing Easy in the Work Place

The quality of the air around us in the workplace can directly affect our health and productivity.  Poor indoor air quality can lead to headaches or illness.  Missed work can reduce the company’s production and decrease their overall efficiency.  Indoor Air Quality should be checked on a regular periodic basis to ensure there are not dangerous levels or fumes of any particular substance.

A Certified Industrial Hygienist has specialized equipment needed to perform an Indoor Air Quality test and can take several readings across the facility to ensure the air is healthy.  The flow of air is critical for the comfort and wellbeing of all employees at the facility.  Improper air flow can lead to carbon monoxide build up.  Many times a company will have an area that requires the use of an aerosol to apply paint or substance to the product.  The employees working in these positions may require additional protection such as respirators and full body suits to protect them and their clothing from toxic fumes.  These areas also may require special ventilation to ensure the fumes are not transmitted to other areas of the facility and harmful to other employees.

The Certified Industrial Hygienist will compile a detailed report with the findings of the specialized equipment and may make suggestions to improve the Indoor Air Quality.  If a problem is discovered, the recommendation should be implemented and the air monitored and retested to ensure the effectiveness of the recommendation.  Often times the ventilation system is one of the final components of a building and not often planned out in the most effective way.  The ventilation system plays a huge factor in the quality of the air inside the facility.  A underpowered system may need to be updated or replaced to be effective in maintaining a healthy environment. 

Click hereto contact a Certified Industrial Hygienist to start monitoring the Indoor Air Quality at your facility.  A healthy environment is required by OSHA and should be a top focus by the company to ensure the employees are health and safe at work.  Poor indoor air quality may also be an indicator of other issues.  If mold spores are discovered in the air, a water leak could be the culprit.  The water leak may otherwise go undetected and cause serious damage to the structure of the building requiring costly repair and replacement of the damaged areas.  Companies have a responsibility to protect the employees on the jobsite and Indoor Air Quality is a major component of the employees’ health and wellbeing.