Cape Town - Ever wondered why your eyes seem to itch more and become teary, your nose gets stuffy, and sneezing escalates when you are at work?
Well, it could be your office environment that is contributing to your allergy symptoms, if the findings of a new survey are anything to go by.
An online survey released by a Cape Town-based pharmaceutical company, Pharma Dynamics, found almost half of office workers surveyed around the country took time off work due to their allergies, which worsened when at the office.
The study – which surveyed those in corporate and smaller offices across the country between March and April – showed that allergens including dust, air fresheners, printer and photocopier fumes, poor ventilation and even plants could be polluting the air in the office.
The findings showed that of about 1 300 participants interviewed, 42 percent took time off work because of heightened allergy symptoms, 54 percent had runny noses, about 62 percent had blocked noses and headaches, 52 percent had itchy and watery eyes and 37 percent had dry throats. Sixteen percent reported breathing problems.
An overwhelming majority, about 77 percent of office workers, said their offices were not well ventilated while 53 percent of the survey participants said their offices were air-conditioned.
More than 55 percent of office workers reported that their offices were carpeted, exposing them to dust mites while 35 percent had open book shelves.
Wilmi Hudsonberg, the spokeswoman for Pharma Dynamics, said poor ventilation and a lack of cleanliness seemed to be the biggest contributors of allergies in office environments.
She said the latest findings were not surprising as management of allergies became more difficult in a shared office environment for about eight hours a day with very little control.
She said almost half of respondents who participated in the survey indicated that they sat less than one metre away from a printer and in close proximity to a photocopier. These machines both emitted fumes which could be harmful to one’s health.
Equally hazardous to allergy sufferers were dust mites, which thrived on carpets, blinds, curtains and other soft furnishings. Books too collected dust mites.
“These office allergy triggers can have serious repercussions, especially for those prone to rhinitis and asthma. Lack of fresh air, cluttered desks, dusty surfaces and poorly vacuumed carpets all add to an unhealthy work environment.
The survey found that most South African offices are cleaned irregularly, with only a third being cleaned daily, which poses a risk. “A management plan in the workplace is of utmost importance to control allergy symptoms and to lessen the impact on productivity,” Hudsonberg said.
Instead of carpeted flooring, solid flooring, such as hardwood or tiles, also reduced allergens as they were easy to clean and didn’t trap dust.
But she warned that colleagues that live with pets could also contribute to office allergy reactions.
“With many modern-day offices being open-plan, we are exposed to colleagues who live with pets or reside in areas where pollen counts are high. Pet dander and pollen can stick to office workers’ clothes and can trigger a sneezing frenzy in a person sensitive to these allergens,” Hudsonberg said.
Cape Argus