The Dangers of Chemical Cleaners in the Workplace
Consumers want the products they purchase for cleaning to do what they say - clean effectively! Consumers are not so eager to be poisoned by the cleansers available for sale today. However, the shelves in supermarkets are filled with all sorts of hazardous cleaning agents, formulated to clean kitchen sinks, bathroom showers, drains and counters as well as load human bodies with toxic substances. Businesses need effective cleaners, but not at the expense of the health of workers and our environment.
Toxic Hazards of Chemical Cleaning Products when Office Cleaning
The variety of health hazards stemming from traditional cleaning products available on our store shelves is staggering. The dangers range from watery eyes or burned skin to respiratory difficulties or even death. Long-term effects are also possible with cancer being associated with some types of chemical exposure.
Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control bring forth a shocking revelation. Every year there are about 2 million poison exposures in the United States. Around 10 percent of these occur outside the home. Poison Control Centers get a call every 15 seconds regarding some toxic substance being ingested in some way.
Consolidated Facility is a janitorial service in Sacramento, California that offers green cleaning options for their clients. They do this because they have become well aware of the dangers of using chemical cleaners in the workplace. They know that workplace chemicals enter the human body when inhaled, when on the skin where they can be absorbed into the blood stream or when they are accidentally swallowed when food gets contaminated.
To best protect employees when office cleaninga is done, janitors should avoid products with warning labels that state "Danger" or "Poison" as these are the most hazardous. Those with a label with "Warning" printed on it are considered moderately hazardous while those with a label stating "Caution" are still slightly toxic. Cleaning personnel should avoid using cleaning agents containing ammonia or sodium hypochlorite.
Environmental Dangers of Chemical Cleaners Used in Office Cleaning
In addition to health hazards for employees, toxic cleaners endanger our environment. Although moving through treatment plants before being discharged into our waterways, some of the chemicals in the waste water do not break down and end up harming our water quality and wildlife.
Studies have shown that certain chemicals that enter our water affect the reproduction cycle of fish. These same substances have been tested and proved to be carcinogens which could cause breast cancer. Another pollutant that enters our water systems creates an overgrowth of algae, resulting in plant life flourishing so much that it cuts off oxygen in the water and kills fish and other living organisms.
Office Cleaning with Safe Cleaning Supplies
Any cleaning supplies used in cleaning a workplace should be safe for humans and the environment. Some of the characteristics to look for in safe cleaning products include:
1. Specific time periods in which biodegradable products take to break down
2. Specific statements such as "No Phosphates" rather than the generalized term of "Natural"
3. Plant-based ingredients
Using green cleaning agents protect everyone concerned while still accomplishing effective cleaning of office spaces. Go green!
