Are Laser Printers More Dangerous Than Cigarettes?

STUDY SHOWS LASER PRINTERS ARE AS HARMFUL AS CIGARETTES

A recent study shows that using the printer in your office may harm the air quality as much as lighting up a cigarette. That’s a special concern, as many states move to make smoking in the workplace illegal.

Researchers at the International Laboratory for Air Quality & Health released a study showing that laser printers emit high levels of hazardous particles every day. The Laboratory, located in Brisbane, Australia, is affiliated with Queensland University. The article appeared in Environmental Science and Technology, an industry journal. 

Author Lidia Morawska, Phd. says the article shows that using a laser printer produces as many harmful ultra-fine particles as a lit cigarette, smoldering in an ashtray. Dr. Morawska is Director of the International Laboratory for Air Quality & Health. According to Dr. Morawska,” Particles have been shown beyond any doubt to be a health hazard.”

In fact, the air inside one non-smoking office building was found to contain five times as many particles as the air near a freeway outside.  Like many scientific discoveries, this one was the result of an accident.  Morawska and her co-authors, Congrong He and Len Taplin, were asked to investigate the air quality in a 6 story non-smoking office building in Brisbane. The researchers were initially puzzled that during the work day the indoor air quality was so low, while it improved at night. 

Eventually, the team identified the laser printers in use during the day as the culprits. The building contained 62 laser printers. After testing, Dr. Morawska and her associates identified 8 of those as low to medium emitters, and 17 as high emitters. They included printers manufactured by Canon, Hewlett-Packard, Ricoh and Toshiba. 

Even printers of the same make and model had huge variation in the impact of printing on air quality. For example, one HP LaserJet 5 emitted no particles, while another was a high emitter. Other high emitters included the HP LaserJet 1320 and HP LaserJet 4250. Among the printers with no emissions were four Ricoh Aficio models and eight HP LaserJet 4050 printers. 

The researchers actually found that laser printers with fresh toner released more pollution than those with an older toner cartridge. This research flies in the face of OSHA advice, that recently maintained machines are safer. 

Laser printers are not the only health hazard that office workers face. Other sources of pollution in the workplace include natural agents such as carbon monoxide, microorganisms like mold, and radon. Synthetic chemicals including formaldehyde, cleaning fluids, asbestos and, yes, cigarette smoke, can also produce poor indoor air quality in workplaces. Experts have long recognized that copy machines can release potentially toxic chemicals into the air as well. Copy machines also produce excessive noise and intense light. 

There are a number of measures that can reduce the harmful effects of copy machines.

• If possible, copy machines should be in a separate room with an exhaust system that pulls the particles out of the air and vents them outside.
• The machines should be isolated from workers, to protect workers’ hearing. Employees should be trained to keep the lid closed on the copy machine as much as possible.
• All waste, including used toner cartridges, should be disposed of properly. 
• Having an adequate office ventilation system is crucial in maintaining air quality in the workplace.
• The system should provide plenty of fresh air while maintaining a comfortable temperature and humidity. 

Many people believe that offices are safe places to work, but every year thousands of injuries are reported by office workers. With about 33% of the U.S. workforce employed in offices, even fairly low accident rates will affect a large number of people. While some office safety hazards are the result of slippery floors or a file cabinet left open, others are associated with modern technology. For example, spending many hours at a computer display can cause neck and back pain and eyestrain. A number of studies have also shown that long hours at the computer can make a person irritable and tense. 

Carpel Tunnel Syndrome is associated with repetitive motion, including the motions used in operating a computer. Desks, computers and chairs should be properly designed to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries including Carpel Tunnel. It’s particularly important to locate the computer mouse properly, to prevent injury. Each year, office workers suffer more than 76,000 fractures, dislocations, sprains, strains and bruises. The leading causes of injury in the office include falling, over-exertion, being struck by falling objects, and being caught between two objects. Workers also report injuries due to foreign objects in the eye, spilled hot liquid, burns and electric shocks.

For more information on how to develop an employee worksite wellness plan and create a healthier worksite environment, visit: http://www.strictlyhr.com or call 330-575-2029.