The requested URL /advice/?p=278 was not found on this server.How Clean Is Your Cube, and Your Image? A clean cubicle is certainly healthier and can lead to greater productivity, but did you know it can also improve your image at work? Research by the staffing firm Adecco found  that nearly 60 percent of U.S employees judged co-workers on how clean or dirty they keep their work space. More than 40 percent have judged their colleagues more negatively if their workspace is messy, while 45 percent have looked at them in a more positive light if their personal area is tidy.  Nearly three-quarters of those surveyed agree employees are most productive when their desk is clean. Taking a few minutes each week to ensure that your workspace is tidy can improve your spirit and your image around the office. Creating a place for everything also prevents clutter and loss productivity due to misplaced items. Aside from an increased feeling of well-being, you may also be a lot healthier if you clean up your desk.

Researchers who took swabs from office equipment in New York, San Francisco and Tucson found more than 500 types of bacteria, most of which normally live on our skin or in our nasal, oral and intestinal cavities. Chairs and phones accumulated the most bacteria, followed by desktops, keyboards and computer mice. Along with sanitary wipes and hand sanitizer, using office products with Microban antimicrobial protection can be another level of defense in keeping the products you use every day much cleaner. Look for the Fellowes Logo for quality office products.Story highlightsPeople who work at desks should stand or walk around for at least two hours a day to avoid health risks related to too much sittingIt's not unusual for office environments to trigger what's known as occupational allergiesBringing nature into your office can be a great way to inspire creativity and a feeling of wellnessRemind yourself to sit lessRELATED: 6 Easy Ways to Sit Less Every DayClear the airTry a standing deskPaint your walls greenAdd a plantDisplay (a few)

personal itemsRELATED: How Friends Make You HealthierUse aromatherapyStop eating at your deskRELATED: 17 Ways Your Job is Making You FatPay attention to postureRelated: 12 Ways to Stop Work-Related Back PainSqueeze in mini workoutsRelated: 5 Yoga Poses You Can Do at Your DeskTake your pet to workAdjust your lightingContent by LendingTreeYou spend your days toiling away on keyboards, on the phone, preparing for meetings, presentations and projects. The office and home have become synonymous workplace environments for a variety of professionals. What is it that you have in common with most people who work in an office? Aside from the sigh of relief and waited anticipation for Friday to roll around - actually, most office workers or those who work from home are regularly exposed to poor indoor air. In a 2012 study on office IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) and workers’ blood, scientists found concentrations of toxins in office air that were 3-5 times higher than those reported in previous studies of household air, "suggesting that offices may represent a unique and important exposure environment."

It doesn’t matter whether you work in a cubicle or in a bright corner office or in the comfort or your very own home office. Hot Tub Jet BruiseThe air gets contaminated with fine particles from paper, printers and dust, with volatile organic compounds emitted by office furniture (especially particle board furnishings), carpets, toner, and building materials. Uchicago T Shirt RequestAdd to this list biological contaminants such as bacteria, viruses and mold as well as many other substances.Canon Digital Camera Pc 1033 Office laser printers can emit harmful levels of toner particles and chemicals into the air, as well as ozone and carbon monoxide. These toxins are as damaging to lungs as second hand smoke from cigarettes. Photocopiers, a staple in most offices, often emit dangerous levels of ozone and other chemicals, especially when located in small, poorly ventilated areas.

It is quite unhealthy if your desk is close to a photocopier, and good advice would be to move to another workspace. Exposure to these types of airborne contaminants could lead to a wide range of health effects. Short-term effects include headaches, nausea, fatigue, shortness of breath, coughing, dizziness and even skin irritation - all part of a condition that has been dubbed “Sick Building Syndrome” by experts. These symptoms should alleviate once you exit the building (unless you have similar IAQ problems at home). Unfortunately, researchers have also identified long-term health effects connected to poor indoor air quality, among them respiratory disease (including the emergence or aggravation of allergies and asthma), damage to the lungs, liver and central nervous system as well as cancer. There is a reason why the Environmental Protection Agency ranks poor indoor air quality among the top five environmental risks to public health and why the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety maintains that indoor air quality has become “an important workplace health and safety issue”.

Indoor air quality is not static and may change with time, season and air quality event. Here are some reasons why office IAQ may be particularly bad: Of course, not every person experiences IAQ problems the same way. One employee may be bothered by the slightest hint of perfume, while another won’t even notice. However, business owners and managers should remember that poor indoor air quality can be more than a health issue for employees. Constant exposure to airborne contaminants and failure to act often leads to poor productivity and low morale among workers. Business owners can also be held responsible for exposing employees to indoor air pollutants. The Insurance Information Institute estimates that $3 billion in mold claims were paid out in 2002; since then, claims have continued to skyrocket and many insurance companies decided to stop covering mold damage. Legal costs in the field of SBS-related illnesses may include temporary or permanent physical claims, mental distress claims as well as emotional distress claims.