by Linda Melone
Energy-efficient workplaces protect the environment and save energy costs, but they may also make breathing more difficult for people with asthma
Is your office hazardous to your health? Open floor plans, the communal coffee pot and even your work chair can all wreak havoc with your mental and physical health. Top experts and the latest research give you 12 new reasons to call in sick.
Accidents happen
An open office plan
Green offices
Germy male co-workers
Communal coffee pot
Fitness-ball office chair
Energy-saving bulbs
Office air
If you sneeze and wheeze your way through work but feel fine when you leave the office, you may be allergic to work — literally. Occupational asthma accounts for 10 percent of all asthma cases in the U.S. and involve symptoms that arise only at work. “The symptoms are often better or even go away when patients are off from work for a few days or a week of vacation,” says Dr. Kevin P. McGrath, an allergist and spokesman for the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Causes vary from animal proteins to chemicals in spray paints, adhesives, latex gloves and respiratory irritants such as chlorine and other gases. If you suspect you may be allergic, make an appointment with an allergist who can evaluate you to determine the causes and possible treatment.
Computer screens
Workplace bullying
Bullying isn’t just a childhood problem. One out of four workers feel bullied, according to a recent CareerBuilder study. While the definition of bullying varies, it typically refers to aggressive behavior associated with work primarily intended to cause physical or psychological harm to others, says Rick Brenner, management consultant and principal of Chaco Canyon Consulting in Cambridge, Mass. Examples of bullying include being falsely accused of mistakes you didn’t make, others taking credit for your work and being yelled at in front of co-workers. Targets of bullies often suffer from sleep and digestive problems, depression and other forms of stress. If you’re the target of a bully, your options vary depending on the situation, Brenner says. “Get help. Hire a bullying coach or psychotherapist. The sooner the better.”
Free candy
Overheated offices
Working in an overheated office slows productivity and increases the risk of accidents, according to a study by the Health Protection Agency in the U.K. Plus, warm air in meeting rooms combined with high levels of carbon dioxide during long presentations — largely from workers’ respiration — can cause sleepiness and a drop in decision-making ability, according to a recent study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. The study showed that decision-making ability and productivity dropped as levels of carbon dioxide increased. The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers recommends the following temperature ranges for office work: 68.5 to 76 degrees Fahrenheit winter and 74 to 80 degrees in summer. A Cornell University study found 77 degrees as optimal for office productivity.
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Read this article in MSN Healthy Living
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