Protecting The Air We Breathe

Here at the Glove Club, we specialise in high-quality latex gloves and latex alternatives – but we also offer a wide range of other protective equipment to help keep your working environment clean and healthy. The air we breathe is, naturally, a very important factor in the well being of employees, and we provide a range of equipment to help you in this regard.

Airborne bacteria present a particular issue for the healthcare industries; when caring for the elderly or unwell, ensuring that no further infections are spread is very important. The surgical face mask is an affordable, comfortable and disposable option which prevents airborne bacteria spreading from the wearer to their patients, and is a vital piece of equipment for doctors, dentists and other healthcare workers.

They can, of course, be used outside the healthcare industries as well. Indeed, in Japan and other countries in East Asia, you will frequently see people on the street wearing surgical facemasks; it is sometimes considered a sign of social courtesy and responsibility to wear one in public if you are ill. The use of surgical face masks to prevent infection was quite widespread amongst the general public in many countries during both the 2007 bird flu pandemic and the 2009 swine flu pandemic.

Surgical style face masks also help to protect the wearer against dust and other airborne pollutants. Their use is widespread amongst the general public again in many East Asian countries during the allergy season, when they serve a double purpose of protecting the wearer against airborne pollen and protecting others in public from airborne bacteria carried by the allergy sufferer’s sneezing. Cleaners, builders and decorators working in dusty conditions or using strong-smelling chemicals may also use face masks to provide comfort and protection, either using surgical style masks or employing cone-style dust masks.

In some industries, face masks can be a strict requirement, as employees may be exposed to serious airborne dangers without them. Asbestos is one such factor; the fibres are miniscule and easily breathed in, but exposure can lead to serious and even deadly health conditions. If you have employees working with asbestos, they must be provided with a respirator mask which meets very high standards, filtering at least 99% of airborne particles – FFP3 standard masks are usually suitable. Employers are responsible for providing and maintaining personal protective equipment for employees working with hazardous substances, and have a duty of care to their employees which can lead to compensation claims if neglected, so it is important to make sure that you source the right face masks for your business.

Another approach to healthy air within the workplace is the use of air purifiers such as the Cleanaer air purifier, which is a three in one air purifier, liquid ioniser and fragrance system. This surprisingly small unit can remove dust mite and pet allergens from the air, with independent trials demonstrating the removal of 70% of dust mite allergens and 75% of pet allergens within a test room. In addition, it can remove dust and pollen, and it cleans the air of unwanted odours such as kitchen and pet smells. It runs on ordinary AA batteries, and can be wall mounted for convenience.  It has been approved by the British Allergy Foundation/Allergy UK, and is an excellent investment for a wide range of businesses. It can, for example, be a great boon to hotels, where it can help to clean the air in your guest rooms to ensure that they are always fresh and welcoming and to give your customers an excellent night’s sleep even in the height of pollen season. Because it operates very quickly and is very easily portable, it could also be used by estate agents to refresh properties prior to viewing, ensuring the best possible first impression. It’s also ideal for use in offices and in the home.

The air we breathe is vital to our very existence, and it makes sense to take every measure possible to ensure that it is clean and healthy for you, your employees and your family. For more information on these or any of our other products, you can call us on Free Phone 0500 456 832 or use our contact page to get in touch with us online or by post.