Is Your Office Making you Sick?

Have you come across the term Sick Building Syndrome? It’s been used to describe office buildings which are prone to spreading illnesses. If you work in an office where you continuously hear sniveling and coughing, there’s a good chance that your office is responsible for making you ill.

How? There are several ways you office can make you sick that are mainly related to poor indoor air quality and the lack of sufficient cleaning.

Here are a few ways offices can make you sick:

1) Mold and fungi

Sound gross? It is. Inefficient cleaning practices in a closed building combined with moisture and unclean air lead to the growth of mold and fungi. Mold and fungi can be an allergen and even toxic sometimes. They grow in environments with high-moisture such as basements, kitchens, bathrooms, storage spaces and other places that are damp.

In buildings, mold infestations are most commonly caused by leaks in pipes so if you do notice broken water pipes in your office building, have it fixed immediately and the area cleaned properly.

2) The HVAC unit

You’ve heard of all the germs that reside in airplanes, right? Well, your office building is really not that different.

A study by the Environmental Protection Agency found that indoor quality is 100times worse than the air outside.

Thanks to energy-efficient buildings, we can’t crack widows open for fresh air or the warm rays of sunlight that help kill bacteria.

The lack of ventilation and compromised air quality means we can be breathing in all types of toxins such as dust, carpeting, exhaust, chemicals and more.

HVAC filters need to be cleaned at least three times a year to make sure the air quality within the building is safe.

3) Desktops and office supplies

Your desktops and office supplies catch millions of germs every day. The staff is continuously coughing and sneezing at their desks. The cleaning staff may wipe down table tops but they rarely disinfect computers and office supplies allowing germs to breed.

4) Carpeting

Carpeting is one of the greatest causes of sickness at the workplace. Hundreds of people walk on the office carpet every day. All the crumbs of snacks you chow down during the day are gathered in between the carpet threads along with layers of dust, debris and all that rests at the bottom of shoes.

Each time you roll your chair back or scrape the soles of your shoes against the carpet, you release mold spores into the air which you and your colleagues will then breathe in.

The majority of the above problems can be managed with janitorial services. At Crystal Clear, we provide quality carpet cleaning, restroom sanitation programs and much more to ensure that our clients remain healthy and safe.

In Kansas, and require commercial janitorial services? Call Crystal Clear at 816-763-3353.