Workplace Health

Office Space: Insuring Good Indoor Air Quality

By Christine Haran

Some mornings you might feel like you are allergic to work. As soon as you log onto your computer, you begin to sneeze, cough, itch or feel tired. And while you may indeed be sick and tired of work, such problems can be attributed to poor indoor air quality, which can have a significant impact on workers' health, comfort and productivity.

Almost 70 percent of the US workforce works in indoor office settings, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). And over the last 20 years, more and more US workers, and office workers around the world, have reported symptoms related to their indoor environments.

A recent study of 11,154 office workers in Finland found that the most common work-related symptoms were an irritated, stuffy or runny nose, itching, burning eyes and fatigue. The study, published the January issue of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, also found that women were more likely to report symptoms than men, and that people with allergies and smokers had more symptoms than people without allergies and non-smokers.

Inadequate ventilation is one of the most common causes of indoor air quality problems, and one that has been more of a problem in new and newly renovated buildings.

"In the '70s, we had the energy crisis," explains Helen Tsiapas, an environmental protection specialist with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). "One way to deal with it was to tighten up the buildings, so we saved on energy but started breathing higher concentrations of pollutants that can be found indoors. But you can have an energy-efficient building and excellent ventilation."

According to Tsiapas, a building's heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system is key to good indoor air quality. Not only does this system heat and cool the building, it filters and circulates air.

But there are many other ways you can sabotage your indoor air.

Possible Culprits

Pollutants are a major source of poor air quality. Indoor pollutants can come from chemicals from items in the office such as carpeting, pressed wood furniture or cleaning products. And before smoking was banned in many office buildings, tobacco smoke fouled the air. Other sources come from carbon monoxide, which can leak from certain fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces. And then of course there are contaminants that can enter a building through windows or poorly located vents, such as exhaust from cars and trucks.

Molds, bacteria, pollen and viruses can also make their way into the air to cause symptoms. These biological contaminants tend to breed in stagnant water and in humid environments, which can be a problem when air filtration systems are not working properly.

Radon, which is a naturally occurring radioactive gas found in soil, and asbestos, a material that was used in building materials, plastics and other products, are additional possible building contaminants. But exposure to these pollutants tend to cause long-term health problems rather than immediate symptoms.

Clearing the Air

Most of the time, indoor air quality can be resolved relatively easily and cheaply. If you are experiencing symptoms that you think may be related to your office building, Tsiapas recommends that you record the symptoms, what day and time of day they occur, and whether they resolve when you leave the building. Share this information with building management: Both NIOSH and the EPA have air quality guidelines that building owners and managers can follow to improve conditions. And NIOSH can conduct investigations of potential health hazards at the request of employees or employers.

Also check out your office space to see if furniture, books or files are blocking air vents. The EPA also advises that people comply with the building smoking policy, store food properly, dispose of garbage and clean up any water spills.

Americans spend up to 90 percent of their time indoors—and much of that time at work. Attention to air quality, Tsiapas says, can help ensure that people are as comfortable as possible.