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AIR CLEANING
very industry comes with its own hazards. Whether your team is working with heavy machinery, using electrical equipment, or being exposed to extreme temperatures, there is so much an employer must consider when it comes to protecting the health of their staff. This protection can come in the form of clothing, safety protocols or strict regulations, which tend to be regularly reviewed and even come with legal requirements. Yet, there is one significant danger that most employees face every day, and it is a hazard that often goes unnoticed: poor indoor air quality. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranks indoor air pollution within the top five environmental risks to public health – making at an even bigger risk than outdoor air pollution. Unlike other workplace factors that come with strict regulations, air quality has no global standard that workplaces must adhere to – leaving employees at risk of working in unsafe environments.
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A sprinkling of dust on some equipment or a bit of dirt on your nose at the end of the day may not seem like something to worry about, but these small signs could indicate a much bigger problem in the workplace. They are all caused by poor air quality – and this is something that can impact our health, how much we get done at work, and even our bottom line.
THE IMPACT ON HEALTH According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), air pollution causes seven million deaths every year – with nine in ten of us breathing air with high levels of pollutants every day. You may have assumed that this polluted air was found in city centres or areas with high volumes of traffic, but much of this poor-quality air is actually found within workplaces – where the average person spends 206 days every year. This prolonged exposure to pollutants can lead to various health problems. From headaches, asthma, flu-like symptoms and coughs, to more long-term conditions like increased risk of heart attacks and even cancer, the impact on our health is clear. Unsurprisingly, an increase in health problems leads to an increase in the number of sick days people take. In fact, respiratory illness causes as many as 3.9 million sick days annually in the UK: an issue that also affects productivity…
POOR AIR QUALITY: THE HIDDEN THREAT TO YOUR BUSINESS
By Ben Simons, air quality specialist at Zehnder Clean Air Solutions
THE IMPACT ON PRODUCTIVITY It is no secret that having missing team members will affect how much work gets done. But air quality does not only impact how productive your people are. It also impacts the productivity and effectiveness of your equipment, too. Machinery that is regularly exposed to dust will need more regular maintenance, or even break down – which will cause downtime for your business. In addition, the dust and fumes produced in workplaces that use heavy equipment can throw a real spanner in the works when it comes to automated processes. This dust can block and clog sensors, and stop fast-paced processes in their tracks. Put simply, this downtime is something you cannot afford…
THE IMPACT ON PROFITS Time with your employees being absent and your equipment working poorly is money lost to your business. But that is not the only way poor workplace air quality can threaten your bottom line. An increase in dust and pollutants will naturally lead to an increase in your cleaning costs as you look to maintain a professional image. And speaking of business image, did you know that 66 per cent of people would be uncomfortable working in an environment with poor air quality? Air pollution could result in you losing talented team members – or even put off future staff from joining your business in the first
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place. After all, would you want to work somewhere that was not prioritising your health?
READY TO START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT CLEAN WORKPLACE AIR? It is clear that poor workplace air quality is damaging to your business in a number of ways. But it does not have to be this way. Zehnder Clean Air Solutions is on a mission to #CleanTheUnseen and shine a spotlight on the importance of workplace air quality – and you can join the company. Get in touch to learn more about the power of clean air.
Zehnder Clean Air Solutions
www.zehnder.co.uk
Summer 2024 UKManufacturing
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