Air Quality: Do Not Let Your Employees Be At Risk
Guest Post
Do your employees complain of headaches or trouble concentrating while at work? Have you considered the quality of air may be the culprit? You may not be aware, but contaminated air at the work place can affect employee health, comfort and ultimately productivity.
Source: Flickr.com
I’m an Employer. Should I Be Concerned?
Quite simply, as the employer you are responsible for your employees wellbeing, protecting them from the risk of falling ill and catching life threating diseases. You should be concerned if your employees complain about the following as it may be linked to poor air quality:
· Fatigue
· Headaches
· Irritation of the throat, nose and eyes
· Poor concentration
· Dizziness
Your employees may be vulnerable to air-borne diseases such as legionnaires if they work in an area where air quality is lacking. Legionnaires, a disease caused by the legionella bacterium which thrives in areas where the quality of air is wanting, striking down employees when the bacteria is inhaled. A good case in point is the outbreak at Melbourne Aquarium back in 2000, where hundreds of employees and day-trippers developed legionnaires after visiting the aquarium and being exposed to the bacteria. If left untreated, legionnaires can be deadly.
What Can Affect The Quality Of Air In The Workplace?
The quality of air in a work place is affected by several things.
· Poor or insufficient ventilation. Stuffiness occurs when carbon dioxide gases are allowed to build up and there is no fresh air coming into a room. Employees should be advised to open windows and /or doors to allow fresh air to circulate.
· Minimal maintenance. Most modern places of work, including industrial complexes, are fitted with air conditioning. As such, cooling towers are a common feature. However, the quality of air will be affected if the air conditioning unit or cooling tower is faulty and under maintained.
· Construction or remodelling. Activities near or in the company premises can also affect the air quality. It is possible that dust and fumes may be blown into the office contaminating the air. For employee safety, remodelling and construction activities should minimised where possible. However, if they must be carried out, safety clothing such as dust masks and goggles should be provided.
Poor air quality can affect the health and concentration of the employees and consequently their production. If there is poor air quality in the work place, employees will complain of fatigue and/or headaches.
Keeping Your Employees Safe: Cooling Tower Maintenance
Source: Allied Heat Transfer
A cooling tower is a must have especially in industrial complexes and as such must be maintained to ensure the quality of air. Cooling towers, also known as heat exchangers, work in two ways. Firstly, heat is exchanged between water and the air and secondly, through the evaporation of some of the water that needs cooling.
For cooling towers to work efficiently (and safely), they require routine maintenance. With time, the tower can become polluted and consequently, unable to cool effectively. Regular maintenance of the tower is the only way to guarantee efficiency and ideal performance. This will increase the tower’s lifespan and in addition, will prevent biological fouling, when bacteria such as legionella, algae and other micro-organisms in structure are submerged within the water. This upkeep of your cooling tower’s water treatment and conditioning needs will ensure your employee’s health are well protected.
Well maintained cooling towers also strengthen your entire company’s cooling system. This allows the cooling system to perform at optimum efficiency by conserving not only water but energy also. Regularly maintaining the cooling tower will ensure longevity and efficiency of the company’s cooling system while at the same time keeping your operating costs low in the long run.
At the end of the day, your employees are your number one asset. Ensuring proper ventilation and keeping on top of your cooling tower maintenance will assist with protecting your staff and their health.
Author Bio: Allied Heat Transfer deals in Industrial cooling and heat transfer systems with a range of heat exchanger products including Oil Coolers, Industrial Radiators, Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers, Air Coolers, Plate Heat Exchangers and Cooling Towers. Contact Neil at Allied Heat Transfer to find out more about maintaining your Cooling Towers and keeping your staff safe.
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