How important is healthy air quality at your workplace?
We spend almost 90% of our time indoors, much of it at work. A healthy workplace seems obvious, but it's not. Whether you work at home, at the office or change work locations, healthy air quality contributes to people's productivity and absenteeism. In this blog, we'll tell you more about healthy air quality in your workplace.
How good is the ventilation at your place of work?
Meanwhile, more and more people are working in the office again. Working from home also remains popular. But no matter where you work, at home or in the office, good ventilation is important. Do you know how it is? You don't have to be a ventilation expert to find out. With a CO2 meter, you can easily measure the air quality in any room. If you use it at home, but go to the office again one day, take the meter with you and measure the air quality in your workplace. Read how a CO2 meter works here or watch the video. Once you understand the air quality in your workplace, you can take action.
How do you ensure adequate ventilation in your workplace?
The indoor air quality in offices has a direct influence on productivity and sickness absence. Various research and studies have shown that staff are up to 11% more productive when there is a continuous supply of fresh air, and sickness absence also demonstrably decreases. So make sure there is sufficient ventilation in the workplace.
Our advice is to open the windows for at least 15 minutes every hour and to mechanically ventilate 24/7. In modern offices, you often see that the windows remain closed. Then demand-controlled ventilation is a good solution. If this is not yet the case, you can use a CO2 meter to check whether this is necessary. If the CO2 still rises too high, then the ventilation or MVHR system has not been set correctly or it is time for maintenance. If the filters are dirty, the ventilation system will not work properly either.
How can you prevent the spread of diseases in your workplace?
Diseases spread quickly within a working environment. There are often many people in a room who use the same facilities, such as the toilet, coffee machine, etc. If the air quality also leaves something to be desired, you can quickly become infected at work. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevention of diseases at work has become so important that a large part of our country is forced to work at home. Good hygiene, following the guidelines and advice of the RIVM and ensuring good air quality significantly reduce the chance of infection.
Our tips for good air quality in your workplace
Check that the ventilation is on and working
How do you know if your office space is properly ventilated and if you can work safely? The ventilation should always be on. You can check with the facilities department or building manager. Sometimes the mechanical ventilation is turned off when the office is vacant. So it's not crazy to check this out. This also applies to your home office. Never turn off mechanical ventilation. If you doubt that the ventilation is working properly, check it with a CO2 monitor.
Provide mechanical ventilation (even if it is not already there).
Natural ventilation is always important. But once it gets colder outside and windows are closed more often, Luchtroostersnatural ventilation is really insufficient. There are fairly simple and relatively inexpensive solutions to installing mechanical ventilation in an existing home or building. A decentralised MVHR is very suitable for a smaller space and can be installed in no time. Moreover, it warms the incoming air so that you do not have to sit in the draught. The Orcon WTU is very suitable for offices and schools.
Don't forget about maintenance
A ventilation system is present in most offices and homes. But if it does not receive maintenance on time, the system itself often becomes one of the polluters or even stops working. After a while, the ventilation ducts become a collection point for dust, bacteria, moisture and vermin. This has major consequences for the air quality in a building and the functioning of the system. Make sure the grilles and/or valves are cleaned regularly and have the air ducts cleaned at least every 4 to 6 years. Read more tips in our blog.
Particulate matter
People who work in environments with high concentrations of particulate matter may experience respiratory complaints, skin complaints, headaches and irritations. Fine dust in the office is also a known cause of allergic reactions. With the right filters (F7) in the ventilation system, most fine dust particles are stopped. An air cleaner is an excellent addition to good ventilation, as it cleans the air of fine dust, as well as viruses, pollen and bacteria, among other things.
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