Why indoor air quality is important? Any suspended airborne particle between 1 to 100 microns can land into the lungs through the mouth or nose. Pollen, hair, bacteria, windblown dust, flyash, fine sand, silt, smoke, tobacco smoke, soot, metallurgical fumes, gas… floating in the air, be it of a corporate office, manufacturing unit, hospital, hotel, or for that matter open, are hazardous for humans. The resultant ill effects of these pollutants include lethargy, dizziness, headache, tiredness, inefficiency, lack of concentration, and poor productivity at workplaces. Most importantly, bad indoor air could lead to diseases that can turn fatal too. In the following pages, solution providers suggest the best methods to enhance indoor air quality leading to productivity and profitability by increasing worker efficiency and ensuring health & safety.
Studies have shown that in realistic experimental exposures, the performance of simulated office work could significantly be increased by removing common indoor sources of air pollution, such as floor-coverings, used supply air filters and personal computers, or by keeping them in place and increasing the rate at which clean outdoor air could be supplied. Temperature and noise distraction have since been studied in directly comparable exposures.
Talking of air quality in a more critical area, healthcare, too often, establishments take the ‘head-in-the-sand’ approach when it comes to monitoring and controlling air quality in their facilities. Lalit Sharma, Sector Head (Healthcare), Diversey India Pvt Ltd, says that airborne contaminants that spread infection in hospitals range from infectious mould and bacteria, allergy and asthma triggering particulates, to unpleasant odours and toxic laboratory chemicals.
“Fortunately these days, hospitals are increasingly becoming aware of the cost benefits associated with cleaner air. But still there are many medical centres that are least interested in developing an air quality monitoring programme for fear of what they may find in spite of a clear understanding of the benefits of clean air to patients, personnel, equipment and utility costs.
“For example, a patient with Mycobacterium tuberculosis can generate airborne contamination that, if not controlled, can spread infection not only to healthcare staff in the room but also to adjacent rooms & areas. These days effective, high-performance air filtration systems are available in the market that helps reducing the risk. One method for sanitizing air that mimics the natural action of high energy discharges in lightning on oxygen in the atmosphere, is the production of ozone,” says George Oomen, MD-Excel International.
“Evidence has shown that ozone can have a sanitizing effect and kill up to 99.5% of airborne viruses and bacteria significantly, reducing the threat of contracting infectious diseases such as Meningitis, Bronchitis, Tuberculosis and Chickenpox.” adds Oomen.
