Did you know:
- The air inside your office may be up to 5 times more polluted than the air outdoors.
Click a Red Circle to Learn More About Office Air Contaminants
Floating Dust
- Just 437 grains of dust contain nearly 42,000 living dust mites.
- Each mite is expelling 20 fecal pellets every day into the air you breathe.*
Air Vent
- Central air conditioning systems can become breeding grounds for mould, mildew and other sources of germs such as viruses and bacteria, which can then distribute these contaminants throughout a home office or any office.*
Office Furniture
- Formaldehyde is found in office furniture, particleboard, plywood, and many other products. As it deteriorates, formaldehyde gives off vapours that can cause sensitisation and irritation of the eyes and respiratory system, even at low levels*
Carpet
- Carpet can hold 8 times its weight in dirt, pesticides and other toxins (such as automotive fluids from car parks and lawn pesticides) brought in on shoes and even bare feet. When dry, these toxins become undetectable airborne particles.*
Upholstered Chair
- Upholstered chairs contain dustmites which worsen asthma symptoms or allergies. These dust particles are released into the air anytime someone sits down.*
Office Walls
- Office walls can become magnets for allergens such as dust and pollen.
- Office walls are the closest to your breathing space while you work and hold some of the most inhaled indoor pollutants.*
Wood Floors
- Engineered wood flooring often uses adhesives containing formaldehyde which eventually becomes airborne chemical vapours.*
Office Chemicals (toner, printers, inks, etc)
- Odours from felt markers, inks, glues, correction fluid, toner from printers and other office chemicals can emit vapours at room temperature that over time, can cause symptoms similar to inhaling formaldehyde.*
Desk Bacteria
- The average desk has 100 times more bacteria than a kitchen.*
- Eating at your desk whether it be a snack, lunchtime meal or simply a cup of coffee, increases the bacteria levels at your desk.
Pollen
- Almost anything can be an allergen for someone. The most common allergens are pollen from trees and grasses, house dust mites and moulds*
- An allergy to these substances can cause anything from a runny nose, itchy eyes and palate to skin rash. It aggravates the sense of smell, sight, taste and touch causing irritation.* *Allergy UK
Viruses
- In a survey of almost 1,000 workers, more than one-third reported that they felt they should go to work even when sick.*
- These sick workers are engaging in presenteeism, or making it to work when they should be home in bed and therefore spreading their germs around the office.