Is Your Copier Slowly Killing Your Employees?

Virtually every copier on the planet produces what are called Volatile Organic Compounds, and they can cause your workers to develop serious (and sometimes permanent) respiratory problems.

This article will help you identify the compounds your copier likely produces, and how to keep your workers safe from these compounds.

Which Compounds Does Your Copier Most Likely Produce?

The most common compound that copiers produce is ozone. Ozone is excellent for the atmosphere, but it’s not safe for humans for humans to breathe, especially daily.

The easiest way to figure out if your copier produces ozone is to ask your copier rep: “How much does a corona wire cost on this copier?” If the rep tells you a price, or that it’s included, your copier produces ozone.

Which Health Problems Can Arise From Regularly Breathing Ozone?

According to WebMD, these are the many health risks we face when breathing ozone daily:

• Ozone can irritate and inflame the lungs, in the same way that sunburn can affect the skin.
• Consistent ozone exposure can cause pain when taking a deep breath.
• Daily ozone exposure over months or years can permanently damage the lungs.
• You are far more vulnerable to pneumonia, bronchitis, aggravated asthma, and reduced lung capacity.

How Do You Prevent Ozone Produced By Your Copier From Damaging Your Workers’ Lungs?

When you have a copier in your workplace, you run these risks more as time goes on. However, you can mitigate these risks immediately by taking these quick measures.

Place your copier in a well-ventilated room, preferably far away from your employees’ workspaces.

You sacrifice some efficiency when you follow this safety measure. Still, whatever you lose from efficiency, you gain in not having to pay workers’ compensation for making your employees sit next to an ozone-spewing copier all day, every day.

Replace your ozone filters frequently.

If you place a copier next to a wall, you will most likely notice some black marks build up on that wall over time. That black stuff is ozone, and your employees breathe a little of it every time they use that copier. Replace your filters to keep your employees healthy.

Find a copier that doesn’t create ozone.

Applying this measure is a difficult task. Copiers that don’t produce ozone are rare, and you’ll pay a premium for it if you do locate one in the wild. However, following the two previous measures should be enough to keep your employees safe from the damage that repeated ozone exposure causes.

We live in a world where it appears that everything is out to kill us. Though your copier won’t strike you dead from using it only once, repeated usage can have adverse effects over the years. Follow the measures listed above, and you will help ensure that your workers stay healthy and productive for the foreseeable future.