Is going to the office making you sick?
It could be an indoor air quality problem.
Indoor air quality can affect a person's health, comfort, and ability to work. It includes temperature, humidity, poor ventilation, bacteria and mold, or possibly, exposure to chemicals.
One of the most common causes of poor indoor air quality is inadequate upkeep of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC). When upkeep falls behind, air conditioners can be places for mold and bacteria to grow. As air is pulled over the coils in an air conditioner, condensation is produced. This moisture can create an ideal environment for bacteria and mold to grow if not cleaned regularly.
People working in buildings with poor air quality may also feel the building is too hot and stuffy or too cold to stay focused on their work. Some workers complain about symptoms that happen at work and go away when they leave work, like having headaches or feeling tired. When this happens, productivity goes down and sick days go up, burdening the business with unnecessary expenses.
A study in 2009 calculated the annual cost of sick days for a company with 100 employees who are each paid $62,000 per year. Five sick days per employee cost the company $119,879 per year, whereas one sick day per employee only cost $23,976 per year. These calculations do not even include productivity losses from ill employees who choose to come to work anyway.
By no means are all illnesses workers experience are associated with caused by poor air quality, however, there are times when that is the case. There is a good chance that if co-workers experience these symptoms, the building needs to be checked and a thorough environmental assessment done.
Getting sick can be annoying, but there are things you can do to avoid it. The office air you breath is a good place to start. If you think an unmaintained HVAC system may be the culprit, scheduling regular service visits with your local HVAC experts can greatly improve the air quality in your building and help you avoid costly sick days. Now is a good time to schedule a visit and sign up for preventive maintenance.
Stay warm and healthy this winter!