The True Cost of Dust Mite Feces in the Workplace

Dust mites are an allergy sufferer's worst nightmare. Each year 40 pounds of dust is generated in every 1500 square feet of space. Approximately 42,000 of these little bugs live in just one ounce of dust. 100,000 dust mites can live in a square yard of carpet. They feed on human skin scales, pollen, fungi, bacteria and animal dander. Dust mites do not drink free water, but absorb water from the air and the environment.

Dust mites are most closely related to spiders and ticks. They have eight hairy legs, no eyes, no antennae, and a tough, translucent shell giving a "fearsome appearance." They are about.01 inches (250 - 300 microns) in size and cannot be seen with the naked eye. People are not allergic to dust mites per se. People are allergic to dust mite feces and body fragments which are components of dust. These particles are so small they can become airborne and inhaled when dust is disturbed.

The allergens originating from dust mite feces and body parts are the second leading cause of allergies, behind pollen, and are significant triggers of asthma attacks. Estimates are that dust mite feces and body parts may be a factor in 50 to 80 % of asthma cases, as well as in countless cases of eczema, hay fever, and other allergic ailments. Symptoms associated with dust mite allergies include sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, nasal stuffiness, runny nose, stuffy ears, respiratory problems, eczema and asthma.

Asthma is a chronic pulmonary condition in which the airways become blocked or narrowed when stimulated by allergens or other environmental triggers. Sufferers experience difficulty breathing; they cough, wheeze, and have shortness of breath. Allergic asthma is the most common form, affecting more than 10 million Americans - half of all asthma sufferers. It is triggered year-round by the inhalation of allergens such as dust mites, pet dander, pollen, and mold. These allergens trigger the antibody immunoglobulin E (IgE), which is a key component of the cascade that causes the symptoms that result in lost productivity at work.

Asthma is a rapidly growing public health problem. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 23 million people have asthma. 12 million people report having an asthma attack in the past year. Asthma accounts for nearly 17 million physician office and hospital visits and nearly 2 million emergency department visits each year. Annual expenditures for health and lost productivity at work due to asthma are estimated at nearly $20 billion, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.

Work-aggravated asthma, the occupational form of allergic asthma, can exacerbate the symptoms of existing asthmatic conditions, further decreasing employee productivity. From 5 to 25 % of newly diagnosed cases of adult asthma and aggravation of previously diagnosed asthma in adults are related to the work environment. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America ("AAFA") reports that every day-

• 40,000 people miss school or work because of some form of asthma
• 30,000 people have an asthma attack
• 1,000 people are admitted to the hospital
• 14 people die from an asthma attack.

According to the AAFA, the annual cost of asthma is estimated to be nearly $18 billion. For adults, asthma is the fourth leading cause of work absenteeism, resulting in nearly 15 million missed or lost workdays each year and a total cost to employers of nearly $3 billion in lost productivity.

According to the EPA, dust mites and other allergy symptom triggers can be reduced, although not eliminated through regular cleaning. The most powerful weapon against dust mites is frequent dusting and vacuuming of the work space. The EPA recommends that the work space should be dusted with a damp cloth before the area is vacuumed so the dust has time to settle on the floor, where it can be picked up by the vacuum. Damp dusting reduces airborne particles by 93 percent compared with dry dusting. Since fiber-filled surfaces collect the most dust mite food, they have the highest concentrations of dust mites and their waste products. In the workplace, these bugs are most at home in upholstered furniture, rugs, carpets, draperies and curtains. Frequent, thorough vacuuming of carpets, furniture, textiles and other furnishings such as draperies will help keep populations low. Vacuums with highly efficient particle absorbing (HEPA) filters are able to trap at least 99.97 percent of particles of .3 microns in size.

By: Jim Van Eman