Does Workplace Air Quality Affect Productivity?
With remote workers gradually returning to the office, even if it’s just for a couple of days a week in some cases, should we be worried about workplace air quality? Without an air purifier designed for office environments, employees can be exposed to a heady cocktail of pollutants and dust. That can have a dramatic effect on workers’ well-being, health and productivity levels. In the short term, lower productivity impacts your business performance. In the long term, you could be opening yourself up to litigation if you fall foul of health and safety regulations.
How Does Workplace Air Quality Affect Productivity?
Both office managers and employers need to be aware of the biological, chemical and particle sources of indoor pollution.
- Biological: bacteria and airborne viruses (eg. Covid-19)
- Chemical: gasses and vapors (eg. paint, smoke)
- Particle: dust, dirt and mold
Indoor air pollutants can also affect allergies in a variety of ways, including:
- Dust mites: These tiny bugs are a common allergen and thrive in carpets, bedding, upholstered furniture and stuffed toys. Their droppings also cause allergic reactions.
- Mold: Mold spores are a common indoor allergen. They grow well in damp areas like bathrooms, basements and around leaks. Exposure can trigger allergy and asthma symptoms.
- Pet dander: Skin flakes, urine and saliva from pets contain proteins that can cause allergic reactions in sensitive people. Cats and dogs are common culprits.
- Chemical irritants: Things like scented candles, cleaning supplies, air fresheners and paint fumes contain volatile organic compounds that can irritate the nose and lungs. This leads to allergy-like symptoms.
- Smoke: Cigarette smoke, wood smoke from fireplaces and smoke that drifts indoors can all trigger allergy and asthma flares. Secondhand smoke is especially problematic.
- Pollution: Outdoor pollutants like pollen, mold spores, car exhaust and dust particles can be brought indoors on clothing, shoes and pets. This exposure can bother those with allergies.
- Poor ventilation: Stagnant indoor air allows allergens to accumulate. Without fresh air circulation, irritants are concentrated and more likely to cause reactions.
When these pollutants are not removed from the air, or HVAC systems, air ducts and carpets are not cleaned regularly, workers may report headaches, nausea, allergic reactions, and fatigue (to name a few). These are the signature symptoms of “Sick Building Syndrome” and it can transform your place of work into a wasteland in terms of inspiration, energy, commitment and communication.
Poor air quality isn’t in the mind — it’s very real indeed — and it can lead to diminished cognitive function according to a 2021 Harvard study. Sustained exposure can even lead to more serious issues, causing valuable employees to take sickness leave.
Improving Air Quality in Large Office Spaces
Clean air is crucial for employee health and productivity. It’s just as important as providing the right protective and safety equipment, enforcing no smoking policies, and giving staff adequate training for machinery and equipment.
Managing workplace air quality is a proactive process. It’s not as simple as opening a window or placing a few plants strategically. Offices are large spaces that need a large area purification system as well as ducts and HVAC systems to facilitate airflow and filter particles as the air circulates.
We can sum up the challenge as the “3 M’s of workplace air purification”:
- Manage indoor air with HVAC systems and air purification units designed for large spaces like the Airmega ProX, which covers 4,253 square feet in 60 minutes. There should be a planned system in place to allow proper ventilation, and it should be compliant with OSHA regulations.
- Monitor air quality regularly. Air quality can be measured and data compared over time. In particular, you want to be able to see readings for carbon monoxide levels, the presence of radon or volatile organic compounds, smoke, and dust. When you select a Coway Air Purifier, your air quality is continuously monitored and you will receive alerts if levels rise above an acceptable level.
- Maintain your systems. Air ducts need to be checked, filters need to be cleaned. These aren’t “set and forget” systems. Particularly in office environments where large volumes of air are being filtered, you can expect filters to accumulate dust quite quickly and mold to grow in any ducts or filters that are allowed to remain moist for long periods.
Coway boasts a strong pedigree in air purification for large business spaces, with the added benefit of units that blend in seamlessly with modern office design. Whatever the volume of air, our Airmega filtration systems collectively remove 99.999% of airborne contaminants in a matter of minutes.
Choose from a selection of Coway’s purifiers for freshening your office air and empowering your employees to be their best.
Sources:
OSHA Indoor Air Quality - Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Environmental Protection Agency Regulatory and Guidance Information by Topic: Air | US EPA
Pierces Loan Employer Responsibility for Air Quality | Legal Liability
ISHN How poor IAQ impacts employee safety and productivity | ISHN
EPA An Office Building Occupants Guide to Indoor Air Quality | US EPA
EPA Do You Suspect Your Office Has an Indoor Air Problem? | US EPA
Disclaimers
1Coway air purifiers have been proven to trap dust, pollen, dander, viruses and bacteria in the air based on KCL (Korea Conformity Laboratories) testing.They have been tested in a 30㎥ size chamber according to the Korea Air Cleaning Association standard (SPS-KACA 002-132:2022 Modified) to measure the 0.01㎛ size of particle removal rate. It was tested on maximum airflow speed in normal room temperature and humidity conditions. The performance may vary in the actual living environment of customers.
→ Tested with Airmega Aim, 100, 150, 160, AP-1216L, AP-1512HH, AP-1512HHS, 200M, Icon, IconS, 230, 240, 250, 250 Art, 250S, 300, 300S, 400, 400S, ProX
299.97% of viruses, bacteria, fungi and pollen were verified to be removed from the air for Coway air purifiers which have Green True HEPA™ filter applied based on the Japan Food Research Laboratories(JFRL) testing according to JEM 1467 standard.
→ Tested with Coway Airmega AP-1512HH, AP-1512HHS, 250, 250 Art, 250S, 300, 300S, 400, 400S
→ All tested by JFRL and received above result within below time.
All tested by JFRL and received above result within below time.
- Virus: Tested with Escherichia coli phage ΦX174 NBRC 103405, 60 minutes
- Bacteria: Tested with Staphylococcus epidermidis NBRC 12993, 60 minutes
- Fungi/Mold: Tested with Penicillium citrinum NBRC 6352, 60 minutes
- Pollen: Tested with Cedar Pollen extract, 60 minutes
3Aerosol test conducted in a Biosafety level 3 laboratory with two Coway air purifier models, Coway Airmega 250 and 400 for removal of SARS-CoV-2 Aerosol by US based MRI Global, a not-for-profit laboratory and partner of US Department of Defense. The test was conducted in a 13.1ft3 chamber. Virus was aerosolized for 15 minutes and the product was turned on high for 2 minutes. Result showed each product effectively removed over 99.98% of the SARS-CoV-2 in 2 minutes. This is a result from a laboratory experiment condition and result may vary in different conditions. This result does not imply it kills SARS-CoV-2 or prevents the transmission of Covid-19. Coway Airmega 250S and 400S are identical to the tested models and has equal performance with an additional mobile connectivity function.
4The concentration of ammonia, acetaldehyde and acetic acid were proven to be removed within 30 minutes by FCG Research Institute, Inc. Human Life Science Lab. It is not a demonstration result in the actual use space. Not all odors and gases may be supported. → Tested with Coway Airmega 150, 160, AP-1512HH, AP-1512HHS, 400, 400S
5The coverage area of the air purifier is based on an area where the air cleaner can make two air changes per hour (ACPH). An air change per hour translates to how many times an air purifier can clean an area, assuming the height of a ceiling to be 8 ft, in one hour. Therefore ** means two air changes per hour means that the cleaner can clean the area once every 30 minutes and * means air changes per hour means that the air purifier can clean the area once every 60 minutes.
10Terms and conditions apply. Discounts, including promotions, coupons, bundle discount and subscription discount, cannot be stacked on top of other coupons. During promotional periods, discount codes will not be able to be applied to orders. Promo codes may apply to products only—filters, accessories, and new products within 3 months of the release date are not included.
