First published: 24 December 2020 @ 7:15 pm
How to sanitize your office space
Every season, your office is prone to bacteria, viruses and other pathogens that could harm you and your colleagues. By keeping the surfaces in your office clean and sanitising them monthly during cold/flu season, you’re keeping yourself and your colleagues healthier.
How can you check whether these areas receive proper cleaning? With the right cleaning equipment, you can feel confident that your office surfaces are constantly in sanitized status.
Using cleaning equipment, such as a high pressure washer, steam cleaner and hand/dusting tools regularly, will help you guarantee a safe and clean work environment.
Use a high-pressure washer to effectively clean your windows & more
In order to get rid of the hard water stains on your office space’s interior glass walls, you may need the help of a powerful high pressure washer.
The use of power equipment (such as high-pressure washers), which introduce solid particulates into the air during operation has links with certain health concerns. High-pressure cleaners use gas burners to heat water up to 100°C or higher and push it through hoses at over 350kpa (approx. 3115 psi).
While these units supply incredible cleaning capabilities with minimum effort necessary from employees in your office building or facility management team – there is some risk when operating these devices in close proximity to occupants due to airborne particulates produced during operation.
Eye and Skin Risks from HVAC Particulate Matter
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), in their introduction to air contaminants, workers can be in contact with airborne particles both inside and outside of their place of work. Exposure, either directly or secondarily, through inhalation or ingestion of dust can cause health problems ranging from mild irritation to long-term illness.
NIOSH researchers have released note there is a growing body of evidence that frequent exposure at work increases the risk of death due to pneumoconiosis (bronchogenic carcinoma).
So what are some common materials they find in buildings? Can you identify them?
Soot/Smoke
Emitted by furnaces (such as those found for your heating and cooling system), fires, destructive operations such as burning garbage, etc.
Disposables
Plastic film wrappers for collectible newspapers, trash bags, or even food containers may emit volatile organic compounds when you burn them in open flames.
Asbestos
Asbestos is a fibrous material that came into widespread use starting in the late 19th century. It was used as an insulator for wires and other building materials but was banned at the end of the 20th century because it was a confirmed carcinogen. But, this substance is still found in many older buildings because of its cost-effectiveness and density which made it a great insulator for many decades.