What to do in case of dust allergy in the office

What you can do with dust allergy in the office

25/08/2014

Workers who suffer from a house-dust allergy often have complaints such as runny nose or itchy eyes not only at home but also at work. Often it is not so easy to remedy this in the workplace, explains an expert.

Employees should ventilate more
People who suffer from hay fever usually only suffer from their complaints seasonally, whereas house dust allergy sufferers generally have it all year round. Some of them also have symptoms in the workplace and then their nose runs and the eye itches. In addition, many sufferers then cough, sore throat or headache. As Christoph Drath, company doctor and specialist in occupational medicine, according to a message from the news agency dpa said, it is often not so easy to remedy the situation. Nevertheless, those who struggle with a dust allergy on the job should tackle it. Drath recommends that employees could ventilate more first. If only mild symptoms occur, this often brings an improvement.

Find cause for dust pollution
If that does not help, the cause of the high levels of dust must be found. The reason may be the floors. Drath advises that cleaners should wipe wet PVC or linoleum every two days. Carpets would have to be vacuumed regularly with high quality, not too old filters, otherwise the fine dust is blown back into the room. Since the air conditioning can be to blame, this should be regularly maintained by professionals. Another source of dust is often a suspended ceiling. A barrier foil between the inner wall and the surface can help. However, as Drath said, such assistance requires the support of the chief or works council. Therefore, both should be contacted quickly in case of problems. Some experts also advise people with a house dust allergy to a hyposensitization, with critics see quite significant weaknesses in the treatment approach. (Ad)