Health and Safety in the Office

If you think the office is not a hazardous environment, think twice. There are many potential hazards in the modern office that need to be taken into account during commercial interior space planning and design. Architects, interior designers, and manufacturers all need to be aware of the issues concerning the function, quality and safety of the working environment.

The health, safety and comfort of employees are the highest priority issues in commercial interior space planning and design. The material used in the manufacturing, the fabric, the paint, lacquer and finish all have significant impact on the health, safety, and welfare of employees. But maybe more than anything else, the indoor air quality is one of the most important issues, if not the most important, to be considered in commercial interior design and planning.

Air inside office buildings contains a wide variety of pollutants that have the potential to adversely affect the health of employees. Poor indoor air quality is known to cause "sick building syndrome" or "building related illness." As a result of long exposure to these pollutants, employees may suffer from these building-related illnesses. The World Health Organization estimates as many as 30 percent of new or remodeled buildings have unusually high rates of poor air quality. In addition, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health cites poor ventilation as an important contributing factor in many "sick building" cases.

In addition to these health considerations, indoor air problems might significantly reduce employee productivity. A recent report to Congress on Indoor Air Quality estimates that the cost to industry could be in the "tens of billions of dollars per year." The failure to take precautionary measures will be highly costly for business.

Most experts believe that the solution to poor indoor air problems is proper ventilation. Ventilation refers to the combination of processes which results in the supply and removal (exchange) of air from inside a building. These processes typically involve:

• Moving outdoor air inside;
• Mixing the outdoor air with some indoor air;
• Distributing this mixed air throughout the building; and
• Venting a percentage of the indoor air outside.

Most facility owners and business are not aware of the codes, regulations, standards and guidelines related to ventilation. For instance, during the development of building codes, ventilation standards called for approximately 15 cubic feet per minute of outside air for each building occupant (although this was primarily a focus not on health, but to dilute and remove body odors). However, national energy conservation measures modified this formula to 5 cfm per occupant largely as a result of the 1973 oil embargo.

Fire safety is another major concern in interior design. Materials used in office furniture and also carpeting not only produce toxicity but also flames. According to the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), more people die in fires because of inhaling toxic fumes and smoke than from the actual flames. A good knowledge of materials and their properties (i.e. inflammability and toxicity) is a must when it comes to interior office design and furniture manufacturing. To avoid adverse effects on employee health environment-friendly paint, non-toxic wood glue and water-based, no Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) lacquers and finishes should be selected.

The health and safety of employees is not something that can be taken lightly. We need safe and healthy environments, and architects, interior designers, manufacturers, and even occupants need to be aware of the potential health hazards of the offices. The awareness of workplace safety must be raised and the compliance with the regulations and standards must be enforced.

When it comes to environmentally conscious office furniture products and eco-friendly initiatives, and the health of individuals, MAiSPACE is the leader in the office furniture industry. The environmental, economic, health and social benefits of adopting green strategies are countless, and MAiSPACE has been working to provide environmentally sensible solutions that make your office a healthier place since 1993.

At MAiSPACE, we take pride in our products, because as the manufacturer, we apply strict controls throughout the manufacturing process guaranteeing you that the most stringent standards are being met. Our material selection, manufacturing practices and finishing techniques are exemplar.