| Fragrances
in the Workplace
Your employee
suffers watery or itchy eyes, nasal stuffiness, coughing, shortness
of breath or rapid breathing, itchy skin rashes, or other similar
discomforts. He or she tells you it is an allergic reaction caused
by another employee’s perfume or cologne or maybe it’s
a cleaning solution used in the office. Worse yet, the employee
complains that the customers and/or visitors to your department
are the cause. At PSU, as with other employers, supervisors are
confronted with these concerns more and more often by employees.
It’s hard to know how to respond – if you ask one
employee to stop wearing a fragrance, you could offend them and
the employee could be upset with the person who is complaining.
If you don’t, your employee experiencing the discomfort may
be unable to continue working or be so effected that the work suffers.
And, what do you tell your visitors or customers?
More
people than ever before are reporting that they suffer from allergies.
It’s the 5th leading chronic condition in
the U.S. among all ages and the 3rd most common among children
under
18 years of age.
One in four Americans suffer from all types of allergies. The
best way to prevent allergy symptoms and minimize the need
for medicine
is to avoid allergens as much as possible and to eliminate the
source of allergens from home and other environments.
PSU has analyzed
this topic through the Safety Committee to determine a strategy
for addressing fragrances in the workplace. A “Fragrance-Free” value
statement will soon be published. If you receive complaints
or become aware of concerns about fragrances in the workplace,
start
by notifying your staff to reduce and/or eliminate the use of
perfumed lotions, fragrances, after shave, and/or essential oils
while in the office. In addition, request that employees avoid
using any airborne chemicals such as a cleaning spray. Unscented
lotions and non-airborne cleaners are preferred for the workplace.
Use information
in this article or from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation web
site to educate staff about the growing prevalence of fragrance
allergies and the importance of maintaining a safe and effective
work environment for all employees.
If you have
questions or concerns about this, please don’t hesitate
to contact Jenny Sherman (extension 54967) or Chuck Cooper (extension
54312) for assistance.
|