Ways To Prevent Allergies At Work

Allergies in the workplace is a bigger issue than a lot of employers give credit for.

While prevention may be difficult, or in some cases impossible, there are a few proactive things one can do in order to make the itchy, watery, fatigue-causing symptoms less problematic.

The Root of the Problem

Diagnosing an allergy or a sensitivity can help determine what the problem is and where it might be coming from.

But often allergy symptoms are non-specific and can include irritation in the air and nasal passages [Nasal allergy], burning eyes, headaches and fatigue.

If these types of symptoms come on after an hour in the workplace and resolve within an hour after leaving, the office environment itself may be to blame, according Dr. Karin Pacheco, an occupational medicine specialist at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, Colorado.

The two elements that can wreak havoc on buildings and sicken employees are water and air.

Dampness, from leaks or condensation, creates ideal conditions for irritants like mold. Poor ventilation and filtration means the air stagnates and can contain higher concentrations of those mold spores or other irritants.

Read more at ABC News