Check the Air Quality in Your Office

The air quality in your office can have a surprising impact on your well-being. For instance, you might have headaches or feel fatigued while you're at work, and then feel better once you leave—and no, it's not necessarily because you'd rather be playing golf! In fact, everything from poor ventilation in the building to contaminants like dust, mold, and chemicals could be causing the problem.

Steps

What causes poor air quality in an office?

1. Anything from building materials to cleaning supplies can contribute. There are a lot of things that can lead to poor indoor air quality in your office. Improper ventilation is frequently a factor, but it's not the only culprit. Cleaning supplies, air fresheners, and pesticides can affect the air quality; office machinery can give off fumes; and furnishings and building materials can release chemicals like formaldehyde into the air. Even dust and mold can contribute to the problem.
   • If there's been any renovations or construction in your office recently, the problem could be things like dust, paint, or adhesives.
   • Vehicle exhaust can also be pulled into the building through the ventilation system.

What are the symptoms of poor air quality?

1. The staff in your office might have sinus- and breathing-related symptoms. You may notice dryness or burning in your eyes, nose, and throat, or you might frequently complain of a stuffy or runny nose. You may also experience headaches, dizziness, and nausea. More subtly, when you're at work you might feel fatigued, lethargic, irritable, or forgetful. Any of these can be caused by poor indoor air quality, regardless of the specific contaminant.
   • Of course, the air quality in your office might not have anything to do with these symptoms—these issues can also be due to things like stress, poor lighting, noise, or vibration.
   • These issues might occur only for people in a certain area of the office, or it might be widespread. Also, some people might not experience any of these symptoms at all, while others might be affected more severely.
   • If you notice any of these symptoms, report them to management, talk to your doctor, and report them to your company's doctor, nurse, or head of health and safety.

What should I do if I suspect poor air quality in my workplace?

1. Start with a walkthrough to try to identify the source of the problem. Sometimes, the cause of poor air quality is obvious when you start looking. For instance, you might see thick dust on top of the door frames or you may notice improperly stored chemicals in a maintenance closet. Make sure to inspect the ventilation equipment on your walkthrough—in particular, make sure your intake and exhaust vents aren't blocked, since that have a big impact on the air quality.
   • The types of chemicals used by cleaning staff might be to blame—make sure all of the cleaning supplies used in your office are low in VOCs, or volatile organic compounds.
   • Pay attention to whether you notice a smell around new building materials or furnishings—they may be emitting VOCs, as well.
   • Talk to your maintenance staff about how often air filters in the office are changed and how often the ventilation is serviced.
   • Look for areas where mold might develop, like carpets that have gotten wet or areas where moisture collects.
   • Check whether intake vents for the building are located in areas where cars or trucks are allowed to idle, as well as whether your intake and exhaust vents are located too close together.
2. Have testing done if you suspect a specific contaminant. Testing can be helpful if you think the air in your office is contaminated, but it shouldn't necessarily be your first course of action. Portable air tests can be helpful if you know what you're testing for and where you want to test, but they're not great for just general air quality testing. On the other hand, professional air testing is more thorough, but it can be pretty expensive. Because of that, it's best to rely on testing only once you've identified what's most likely affecting your air quality.

How do you test air quality in the workplace?

1. Use a portable air sensor if you think you know what contaminant to test for. If you noticed any areas in your walkthrough that could be affecting the air in your office, you may be able to use a portable air quality sensor to confirm your suspicions. However, each sensor only tests for certain contaminants, so you'll need to know what you're testing for before you buy one.
   • Choose a sensor that tests for particulate matter (PM) if you believe the air in your office is contaminated with something like dust, dirt, mold, soot, or chemicals that are being emitted from vehicles or nearby industrial buildings.
   • Choose a gas phase sensor if you need to test for gases like ozone from office machinery, VOCs from cleaning products, or nitrogen dioxide from vehicle emissions.
2. Contact a professional for more extensive testing. Professional indoor air quality testing can be expensive, so it's best to only have this done if you have a clear reason to suspect that there's a contaminant in the office. If you do determine that testing is needed, find a local consultant who specializes in testing indoor air quality. Try searching online for terms like "environmental consultants near me," or "indoor air surveys in my area." You may also be able to find listings through your local or state health department.
   • Look for a consultant who's certified with a group like the American Council for Accredited Certification or the Indoor Air Quality Association.
   • The cost of these services will depend on a variety of factors, like the contaminants you're testing for, the size of your office, and how extensive the testing is.
   • Have professional testing done immediately if you suspect a dangerous contaminant like radon, lead, or asbestos.
   • If you're having professional air testing done, be sure to notify the person or department in charge of health and safety for the worksite, if there is one.

How do I improve the air in my office?

1. Identify and fix the source of the contamination. Some problems, like blocked air vents or a dusty environment, are easy to solve; you just need to clear space away from the vents or deep-clean the office, for instance. Others issues, like improperly placed air vents, chemical pollution from nearby buildings, or mold or mildew growth, might require you to work with your property managers or even your state or local health department before they can be resolved.
   • For example, you might need to have the exhaust vents in your office moved so they aren't so close to the intake vents, which might be an extensive construction project.
   • Avoid relying on portable air cleaners to improve the air in your office—they aren't very effective, and some of them actually emit ozone, which can make the air quality in your office worse. It's better to fix whatever's causing the problem, instead.
2. Create office-wide strategies for keeping the air clean. Get everyone in your office on the same page about how to improve the quality of the air in the office. If employees smoke, make sure they do so outdoors and away from air intake vents. Create a policy for how to store and dispose of food, and make sure the maintenance and janitorial staff use products that are low in VOCs (volatile organic compounds).
   • To prevent mold growth, clean up any water spills right away and don't overwater any office plants.
   • Also, make sure everyone knows not to block the air vents in the office.

Can you get sick from bad air quality?

1. Yes, there are a number of illnesses that can develop as a result. If you're exposed to poor indoor air quality, you might develop issues like asthma, Legionnaire's disease, or humidifier fever. You may also become extremely sensitive to these contaminants over time—so rather than your body becoming accustomed to the exposure, you may notice your symptoms becoming more severe the longer you work in that building.
   • Asthma can be triggered by a number of air contaminants, including cigarette smoke; dust, mold, and other particulate matter; or dust mites, roaches, and other insects.
   • The bacteria Legionella is responsible for Legionnaire's disease—it's often found in damp or humid areas.
   • Various bacteria and molds can also lead to hypersensitivity pneumonitis, which leads to cough, trouble breathing, fatigue, and fever. Similarly, bacterial toxins are thought to cause humidifier fever, which has flu-like symptoms.
   • Some contaminants, like radon or asbestos, won't cause any immediate symptoms—the issues can actually occur years later.

References

See also

• Learn About Asbestos Legislation
• Avoid Germs at the Office
• Lift and Carry a Baby
• Find Alternatives to Sitting in a Desk
• Balance Work and Health
• Do Yoga at Your Computer
• Sue for Asbestos Exposure
• Put on a Cleanroom Suit
• Obtain OSHA Reports
• Measure Work Safety

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