The Hindu Business Line : Dust-filled AC ducts pose health hazard

DO you belong to that one per cent of the Indian population that sits in an air-conditioned office for a good 10 hours a day? And if you think that's cool, then think again. Because improper air-conditioning and stale air is about 800 times more dangerous than the `polluted' air outside.

While it has been proved that productivity increases when employees work in `optimal ' temperatures, it's also true that not many companies have given a thought to impact on employee health due to `dust-filled AC ducts.'

Explaining the hazards of improper air-conditioning systems, Farhan M. Pettiwala, Managing Director of Air Force, an air-conditioning maintenance company, said, "Studies have shown that low temperatures in air-conditioning ducts (used in most new age buildings) are conducive to the growth of fungi and algae over a period of time. Which in turn lead to various bacterial infections among employees who breathe this air."

The most common disorders arising out of this are lung and respiratory disorders, skin diseases and in extreme cases, even cancer, he said.

Pettiwala, who is an air-conditioning specialist, said that it's not uncommon to find dead rats, pieces of bricks and cloth and food articles (left behind by construction workers) rotting in the ducts. Sometimes, the fungus growth is as thick as two inches, he disclosed.

"In fact in the US and Europe, there is great awareness of the hazards of duct air-conditioning and they are trying to minimise it," according to him. Apart from cleaning the ducts once in two years, another exercise that companies need to undertake is to let in fresh air for a few minutes every day.

"Most of them seal the windows to save on energy costs, without realising that they are paying for their employees' health in the long run. If you do not let in fresh air, you are breathing carbon dioxide and it can be suffocating," he explained.

But for a company that has employee welfare as one of its priorities, there are technologies available to overcome these modern-day problems.

For example, ozonising the air for about 20 minutes everyday when the office is not in use can purge the atmosphere completely.

"In fact, most hotels have started doing this after a meeting or a conference. It's not an expensive exercise at all," Pettiwala said, adding, "And certainly not costlier than your employees' health."

More Stories on : Health | Environment | Air-conditioners & Refrigerators

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