Reducing Allergies at Work
Reducing Office Allergies at Work
Allergies are one of the leading chronic diseases in the western world, dealing with allergies when at work can often be difficult. It is very hard to be productive in work if your eyes are itchy or your nose is running or your repetitively sneezing all over your office keyboard. It is a miserable time and our ServiceMaster Clean team wants you to be able to feel better. Take a look at our tips below on dealing with office allergies.
Common Workplace Allergies
Indoor/Outdoor allergies also know as seasonal allergies or hay fever are one of the most common types of allergies suffered by employees, whether working in an office, warehouse, retail establishment, factory or other workplaces. Other common workplace allergies include contact allergies such as allergy to latex and eye allergies. Occupational asthma is another common workplace issue and usually develops when a worker has a sensitivity to something regularly inhales in the work space (fumes, chemicals etc).
Office Allergy Triggers
Many office allergy triggers are the same ones that affect you at home. These include the following:
• Dust
• Pollen
• Mold Spores
• Cigarette Smoke
• Fumes
• Perfume and other scented products
• Animal dander
Even though our offices should be smoke free in the UK due to government legislation, residual smoke that lingers on a co-worker who has smoked a cigarette during a break can trigger a reaction if your sensitive to this allergen. The same can happen to people who suffer allergies from exposure to perfumes and animal dander. If a particular co-worker wears a perfume or scent that aggravates your allergies then try to avoid that persons office space. If you do have to work closely together on a certain project, you may be best politely informing them.
Reducing Office Allergies
There are easy ways to reduce your office allergy triggers. The first step is to identify the allergens that affect you most significantly. Once you know what triggers your allergies, you can take steps to reduce your exposure. Try these tips for reducing your office allergies.
• Wipe your work area (all hard surfaces) daily and sanitize
• If you vacuum your workspace then wear a mask
• Run a dehumidifier in your office to reduce risk of mold
• Ensure your workspace is well ventilated
• Was and sanitize your hands after working with co-workers who have pets
The best way to deal with allergies in the office or any other work environment is to eliminate as many allergens as possible. A regular commercial cleaning service like the office cleaning specialists from ServiceMaster Clean can get that job done. Daily dusting, mopping and vacuuming can remove many of the allergens that affect workers helping to improve the condition and health of your work environment.