Regular cleaning becomes even more essential due to the ease of dust accumulation and the numerous effects it can have on your employees’ health. Moreover, dust accumulation can cause various health issues, making it crucial to clean regularly. The consequences of dust collection can range from discomfort leading to a drop in productivity to severe respiratory issues, depending on its extent. Additionally, the severity of the consequences is directly related to the amount of dust collected. Some people may believe that hiring commercial cleaning services is not worth the effort, despite the existence of a swift and simple solution. Moreover, the convenience and benefits of professional cleaning services can often outweigh the perceived cost or inconvenience.

To prove that the benefits far outweigh the cost, here are some health consequences of a dusty workplace that you would want to avoid.

Irritation of the eyes and nose

Your eyes and the insides of your nose can be particularly sensitive to small particles coming into contact with them. When dust gets into your eyes, they may start to redden, and you could feel irritation and pain. This is exacerbated for people with eye allergies, which typically activate in response to pollen, dust mites or animal dander in the dust. Allergies can be activated in the respiratory tract as well when dust is inhaled.

Either way, contact with dust triggers the release of a chemical called histamines, which can cause inflammation in the tissues. You will experience this as itching and swelling around the eyes and nostrils, involuntary tearing of the eyes, and a runny or blocked nose. In extreme cases, you may even have difficulty breathing.

This discomfort would naturally affect productivity to a considerable degree, making professional office cleaning services a cost-effective option. At SQ1 Development, we provide hi-dusting and carpet maintenance services to get rid of dust in those hard to reach areas, giving your employees a safe environment to work in.

Lung disease

The respiratory tract has mechanisms which allow it to remove most dust particles, but these are some limitations. First of all, not all dust is stopped in the nose, and some of it gets into the throat. You need to cough to get dust out of your windpipe. However, frequent coughing can be unsanitary and it can also damage the throat, opening it up to infection.

Furthermore, not all dust particles can be removed. Sometimes, extremely small particles evade the body’s defence mechanisms and travel to the lungs. If a lot of dust builds up, the body’s immune system could fail to take care of it, leading to lung damage. This is especially dangerous for industrial workplaces that deal with silica.  Immune cells that ingest silica particles die and release toxins, causing scarring of the lungs.

Other diseases

Dust may just look like a dead ball of fluff, but inside lies a whole community of bacteria and fungi. Since it contains lots of organic material, these microbes have plenty of food to thrive in collections of dust. The population of microbes can be very diverse, ranging from those usually found on the skin, to those usually found in faeces. While this is not too big a concern in small amounts, the microbes can quickly grow to concerning numbers if allowed to fester for long enough. While not all of them can cause diseases, you would be better off not taking the risk.

Both productivity and health suffer can tremendously in an unclean, dusty workplace. For the sake of your employees and business, consider enquiring about our commercial cleaning services at SQ1 Development. Whether you need to get rid of dust inside or on the outside of your establishment, our suite of interior and external façade maintenance services will be able to accommodate your company’s needs.