How to Have a Safer Office

There are steps you can take to make your office a safer environment.

For the person who is basically trying to protect their good health in every way they can, there are a number of things that can be done to improve their work space even in a sick building.

• Obtain a screen for the computer monitor to reduce radiation.  If one is exposed to the rear of another employee's terminal, insist (politely but firmly) that the desks be moved to reduce your exposure.
  
  
• Do not drink the tap water.
  
  
• Find a small desk-top air filter.
  
  
• Office plants help clean the air, especially spider plants.  Other good ones are areca palm, azalea, dieffenbachia, philodendron, golden pathos, bamboo palm, corn plant, chrysanthemum and mother-in-law's tongue.
  
  

• Clean and disinfect your desktop. Here are simple steps:
  

  Clear the surface. The less debris on your desk surface, the less likely it is to become a habitat of dust and germs. As much as possible, eliminate clutter. Put papers and projects in a folder in your drawer.
  
  

  Keep food at a minimum. Food attracts bacteria and rodents, so don't store it in the desk drawer. If you have to store food in the desk, make sure it is in a wrapper. Opened food put in the desk drawer will leave crumbs.
  
  

  If you eat at your desk. make sure to wipe off the desk top before and after eating.
  
  

  Wash your hands frequently. As you are touching surfaces in the office you are constantly picking up germs that get transport ed to your desktop. . Get in the habit of frequent hand washing to get rid of germs.
  
  

  Hand sanitizer. Keep hand sanitizer handy. If you are not able to get to a sink to wash hands, you can rub alcohol based sanitizer on your hands to kill germs. Hand sanitizer is also effective in killinig germs on work surfaces.
  
  

  Tissue. Keep tissue handy to wipe off hands or surfaces. Tip: keep out of sight. If co-workers find the tissue box too handy, they will constantly be reaching their germy hands into your workspace.
  
  

  Disinfectant Spray or Wipes. Keep a box of disinfectant wipes, or a can of spray, in your desk drawer. Use frequently to cleanse the work surface. For best results, use daily.
  
  

  Computer Vac. Use a handy vacuum, specifically designed to clean you computer keyboard. use the small vacuum to pick up sandwich crumbs and dust from your keyboard. (forbes.com)
  
  

  Handy Gadget. Handheld Germ Eliminating Light. Small device utilizes UV Light and nanotechnology to virtually eliminate E coli, salmonella and germs. Hold the device over a surface and it disinfects in 10 seconds. (hammacher.com) (forbes.com).
  
  

  Handy Gadget. Screen Cleaner Pro. Handy gadget cleans dust off your computer screen with environmentally safe cleaning fluid using microfiber head. (x-tremegeek.com), (forbes.com).
  
  
  

• Another way to help the body improve its ability to detoxify is a small desk-top fountain.  The running water creates negative ions, as well as creating a very pleasant, soothing sound.  A relaxed person is better able to detoxify than a tense one. A radio with classical or other soothing music can sometimes lower stress..
  
  
• Speak to the building manager about using nontoxic cleaners.  There are now many on the market, priced competitively, and they not only make a difference in the health of the employees, but also that of the maintenance personnel.  
  
  
• If you're chemically sensitive, or otherwise in poor health, possibly you can talk to your boss about telecommuting and working from home.  If you could demonstrate that you are more productive–for various reasons including the chemical exposure you encounter at work–while working from home, you might be successful at convincing a boss to let you try that, if not every day, at least several days a week