DUST AFFECTS EVERYONE
Most of us work indoors. It’s where we spend a large portion of our lives. This makes the air at work more important than you might think. It affects us financially, physically, and mentally. How? Because of dust, specifically in large halls and open working environments (as opposed to offices).
Airborne pollutants like dust, fine particles, fumes, and more are too small to see. The finest particles can penetrate deep into our lungs, circulating through our bodies and causing all sorts of issues.
THE HIDDEN THREAT LURKING IN OUR WORKPLACES
You may well have heard of particulate matter, referred to as PM, before – likely in relation to car exhaust fumes and low emission zones such as London’s ULEZ. But these same harmful materials that we’re so desperate to eliminate outside are even more prevalent inside.
Studies across the UK have found PM levels in industrial and factory workplaces are over three times higher than even the busiest roads and motorways.
These pollutants can cause a host of physical and mental health issues, are forcing us to take millions of sick days each year, costing workers and their employers millions of pounds in lost earnings, contaminated products, and reduced productivity, and harming the environment too.
But breathing isn’t optional and employees don’t have control over the quality of air they have to breathe all day, every day at work.
DIFFERENT STANDARDS
A significant challenge is that current UK workplace air quality regulations are very old. This puts them out of line with World Health Organization (WHO) recommended levels.
| WHO GUIDELINES | COSHH GUIDELINES | |
|---|---|---|
| PM10 (RESPIRABLE DUST) | 45 µg/m³ 24hr mean | 10,000 µg/m³ 8hr mean |
| PM2.5 (FINE PARTICULATES) | 15 µg/m³ 24hr mean | 4,000 µg/m³ 8hr mean |
| NO2 (NITROGEN DIOXIDE) | 10 µg/m³ annual mean | 960 µg/m³ 8hr mean |
While these numbers may or may not mean a lot to you, the point is there is a significant and harmful difference in standards between the WHO and the UK’s Control of Substance Hazardous to Health (COSHH). None are like-for-like, and both COSHH exposure limits do not identify any safe levels for the air you breathe at work.
AN AWARENESS AND EDUCATION PROBLEM
So, even when employers comply with the UK’s law there’s still the potential for harm.
This is an awareness and education problem.
We need UK employers to understand how important it is to provide clean air at work. How doing so dramatically improves both quality of life for employees and their businesses.
LET’S CLEAN THE UNSEEN
By raising awareness with UK employers about the importance of clean workplace air, we hope to improve the lives of millions of people across the UK.
Join the movement today.
