Take the Street Out of the Office: Part 1

You might be wondering what on earth the street is doing in your office. Surprisingly, every day we unintentionally invite the street into our workspace. It infiltrates through the HVAC system, entry doors, and most significantly, our footwear.

The next time you step out onto the street during your lunch break or for a mid-morning coffee, take a moment to observe the environment around and beneath you.

Oily pollutants from motor vehicles and cooking, bacteria from humans and urban wildlife, and dust and dry soils stirred up by trams all contribute to the street environment. This mixture of elements makes its way into your workspace through the HVAC system, entry doors, and on the soles of your shoes. As a result, the street is now in your office.

Let's take a closer look at your workspace. The pollution that enters through the HVAC system and entry doors is airborne and settles on the office's hard and soft furnishings. Footwear, however, is responsible for bringing in the majority of the street.

Approximately 75% of the invading street environment consists of dry soils, which can be easily removed through vacuuming and wiping. The remaining 25% is oily and adheres to surfaces, requiring chemicals and machinery for effective removal.

The right entry matting can capture a significant portion of the incoming street debris. Regular cleaning of the matting reduces the amount that makes it into your workspace. When oily soils enter the workspace, they create a sticky residue that attracts dry soils. The dry soils cling to the oily residues and cannot be removed by vacuuming alone. Without regular cleaning, these soils accumulate in high-traffic areas and gradually spread further into the workspace.

And there you have it: the street has made its way into your office.

-Colin Saddington