The Little-Known Danger of Computer Printers ... and of Other Common Office Machines
by www.SixWise.com
If you're unlucky enough to be sitting next to certain computer
printers in your office, you may as well be sitting next to
a cigarette smoker, according to new research from the Queensland
University of Technology in Australia.
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Laser printers in your office may be emitting toxic
particulate matter that can cause heart disease, respiratory
illness and cancer.
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The researchers discovered that toxic
particulate matter levels were five times higher inside
a non-smoking office building on a workday than they were
outside near a freeway. They then began to determine what
was causing this toxic indoor air.
One of the sources turned out to be laser printers. The researchers
studied more than 50 such printers and found that half of
them emitted tiny particles of toner-like material into the
air, in concentrations ranging from low to high.
Breathing in these tiny particles has been linked to respiratory
illness, heart disease, lung disease and cancer.
The printers in the study were manufactured by common names
including Hewlett-Packard, Toshiba, Ricoh and Canon -- and
all used toner instead of ink.
"Even very small concentrations can be related to health
hazards," said author Lidia Morawska, director of the
International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health at Queensland
University of Technology in the San Francisco Chronicle. "Where
the concentrations are significantly elevated means there
is potentially a considerable hazard."
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Electro-pollution that comes from the electrical field
surrounding office pollution can cause asthma, the flu
and other respiratory illness.
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Your risk of exposure, the researchers found, depends largely
on the office building's ventilation system.
Are You Surrounded by Electronic Smog?
Laser printers are not the only potential risk in your work
environment. The electrical fields given off by electronic
equipment, including computers, lamps, wiring and more, may
also impact your health, according to research by Imperial
College's Centre for Environmental Policy.
The fields, dubbed "electro-pollution," charge
tiny particles in the air including viruses, bacteria, allergens
and more.
When you breathe in these particles, the electrical charge
makes them adhere to the tissue in your lungs and respiratory
tract, which can cause infection. Asthma, the flu and other
respiratory illnesses can then result.
You can reduce your risk, the researcher said, by making
sure laptop computers are "earthed" and unplugging
electrical equipment when it's not being used.
What's on Your Computer Keyboard?
The air isn't the only thing to worry about in your office.
Your computer
keyboard is also potentially hazardous.
According to a study published in Infection Control and Hospital
Epidemiology, you may be transferring two or more types of
bacteria onto your fingertips while you type.
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Twenty-five computers from the University of North Carolina's
(UNC) burn intensive care unit, cardiothoracic intensive care
unit and six nursing units were tested for bacteria. The researchers
found that every computer keyboard was contaminated with two
or more microorganisms.
The bacteria that was found was the type that could be detrimental
to hospital patients:
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All keyboards tested positive for a staph bacterium called
coagulase-negative staphylococci. This is one of the most
common causes of bloodstream infections among those hospitalized.
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80 percent of keyboards contained diphtheroids. This
bacteria represents a significant infection risk for those
whose immune systems are weak, such as cancer and AIDS
patients.
Phones, desks and your computer's mouse may also be potential
sources of bacteria.
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Recommended Reading
What
are the Top Injuries in a Typical Office (and How Can You
Avoid Them)?
Your
Office is a Top Source of Illness-Causing Germs to You!
Sources
Environmental
Science & Technology August 1, 2007
Atmospheric
Environment Volume 41, Issue 25, August 2007, Pages 5224-5235
SFGate.com
August 1, 2007