If you’ve been neglecting the cleanliness of your office space, it’s time to stop looking the other way. According to a study conducted by the Center for Facilities Research (CFaR), 88 percent of the 1,481 respondents reported that a lack of cleanliness easily becomes a distraction in the workplace.
Distracted employees, however, shouldn’t be your only worry in a dirty workplace. A serious lack of cleanliness can also result in rampant sickness amongst employees, which, of course, will hamper your company’s overall productivity levels.
If you don’t have a regular cleaning service to keep up with the needs of your commercial office space, you risk creating a hazardous work environment for all your employees. At Regency Cleaning, we believe regular cleaning goes along way towards fostering a healthier, more productive work environment.
The Effects of Dust on your Body
Throughout the course of a regular day, your lungs will be exposed to a number of potentially dangerous airborne contaminants. Fortunately, the lungs are equipped to remove hazardous dust particles from the respiratory system, but they are similar to many other vital organs in that, when overly stressed, they are susceptible to serious, long-term damage.
In general, dust particles can either be considered organic or inorganic, depending on the source from which they originate. Inorganic dusts typically come from ground metals or minerals while organic dusts originate from plants, animals, or organic chemicals.
Dust from plants and animals can contain fungi or microbes, as well as the toxic substances given off by microbes. Certain microbes can lead to serious illnesses, such as histoplasmosis and Q Fever. Both inorganic and organic dusts can cause fibrosis or allergic reactions, and dust from organic chemicals can even lead to cancer and other acute toxic effects.
How The Lungs React to Dust
While many of the toxins contained in dust are filtered by the hair follicles in the nose, those that pass through can attack the body’s air passages, potentially resulting in inflammation of the trachea or the bronchi. More significant reactions, however, occur in the deepest parts of the lungs.
Dust particles and dust-containing microphages that collect in the lung tissues can cause serious injury to the lungs themselves. Typically, the amount of dust inhaled, in addition to the source of the particles, influences the severity of damage to the lungs.
Keeping Your Office a Dust-Free Zone
Over time, the accumulation of dust in your commercial office space can lead to serious lung diseases, such as asbestosis, humidifier fever, and pneumoconiosis, or what is commonly known as “dusty lung.” If you haven’t taken appropriate measures to keep your office space free of hazardous dusts, you may be liable for any treatments that diseased employees require.
At Regency Cleaning, we want to help you keep your office in tip-top shape. Our cleaning experts will remove all dust and debris from carpets, air ducts, and anywhere else dust tends to accumulate in your commercial space. If you’d like to discuss your office’s specific cleaning needs, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 403-520-7788 today!
