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When it comes to air quality, offices and workplaces are falling short in supporting their employees. Oftentimes many assume that since an office is indoors and air conditioned, the air is clean and free from irritants. However, particles or bacteria can still be found in the workplace, potentially causing disruption and even sickness.
According to the Asthma and Allergies Foundation of America, 11% of American adults suffer from sinusitis related to airborne allergies and 7.6% of American adults have asthma. These chronic sinus and respiratory issues can directly translate into employees calling out of work or reduced productivity in the office from team members.
Air quality in the workplace may also be affected by chemicals or hazardous materials located on-site, the environmental pollution and air-borne allergen levels in the area where your office is located, or the age and condition of your HVAC system. Any of these factors may potentially contribute to an environment that promotes respiratory illness and reduced productivity.
To maximize air quality and ensure you’re maintaining a productive, healthy space for all workers, it is ideal to create an air quality plan for your office. This means locating any potentially hazardous materials away from as many workspaces as possible and maintaining a modern air filtration system that should be regularly serviced.
If your HVAC system uses media filters, be sure they are changed often as described by your system’s specifications and directions. To promote wellness even further, you can integrate a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) system, which will eliminate germs and viruses in the air in addition to filtering out allergens and irritants. A HEPA filter forces air through its mesh filter that can trap harmful particles such as dust, smoke, and pollen.
There are hundreds of factors that contribute to creating a positive, productive workplace culture, and air quality may be one of the most understated. A slight improvement in the atmosphere and frequent cleaning of your office air filtration system might just be the breath of fresh air that your employee’s need. For more information on office HVAC Systems, contact Matrix Air today.
