KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 2 (Bernama) -- The air we breathe around us may appear to be clean, but it carries many types of microscopic particles, such as mineral particles, water droplets, pollen, various kinds of biological material and man-made pollutants, that can’t be seen by the human eye. These particles a.k.a silent killer can affect the health, wellbeing and productivity of people working in your workplace with weaker health conditions such as allergies, asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and lung cancer and exacerbate the conditions of people who already suffer from them. Studies have found that poor air quality reduces most measures of office performance by 6-9%.
Factors affecting infection risk
Airborne particles can be composed of both solids and liquid droplets, each of which can have a wide range of chemical components derived from natural minerals, man-made materials or industrial pollutants. These particles can also be of biological origin, such as viruses, bacteria, fungal spores (including mould), pollen, particles of skin, hair and dried droppings of animals and humans.
There are several scenarios that cause airborne transmission:
i. Talking, coughing and sneezing are sources of airborne particles that contain microbes from human lungs, nose, throat and mouth. These common human activities create airborne particles in a wide range of sizes that can be measured in millimetres down to nanometres and either particles land on surfaces or enter ventilation system to be spread around the building
ii. Damp surfaces provide a suitable environment for bacteria and fungi to grow. These can occur in office building ventilation systems, fridges and surfaces made wet by condensation or water leaks.
iii. Airborne particles can enter office buildings from outside through open windows and doors, ventilation systems, joints and cracks in walls and ceilings, and on clothes, shoes and food.
iv. Organic gases, usually termed VOCs (volatile organic compounds), are produced by human, animal and plant metabolic processes. These gases are also present in a large number of manufactured products including many building materials and furnishings and consumer products, including carpets, furniture, paints and varnishes, cleaning products, deodorants, perfumers, etc.
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