There’s no doubt you take action to minimise the risk of developing health problems due to the hazards you’re aware of, but what about the ones you aren’t? We’re exposed to numerous potential dangers every day, so it’s vital you’re aware of what action can reduce the risk and keep you safe. To ensure you’re doing everything you can to protect yourself and your loved ones, take a look at the hidden health hazards you’re not aware of:
- Air contaminants
When you’re in a heavily polluted area, you’re probably aware of the harm it can do to your health. However, air contaminants can be a major problem in households and workplaces too. Without realising it, you could be breathing in numerous harmful bacteria or allergy-inducing particles.
Fortunately, this type of hazard is easy to resolve. With the right air purification system, you can optimise the air quality in any environment. At home or work, this might mean installing a humidifier, dehumidifier or air purifier to clean the air you’re breathing in.
- Birds
You may not think of birds as pests, but they certainly can be. As well as causing damage to buildings and properties, birds and their droppings carry a number of dangerous viruses, as well as harmful bacteria.
To prevent anyone becoming unwell due to exposure to birds or their droppings, it’s essential to take action. Installing anti bird spikes, mesh or netting will prevent birds from roosting on your property, for example. By making the building less attractive for birds, you can encourage them to move on to a new area and mitigate the risk to your health.
- Cleaning products
When you want to keep your environment clean and free from bacteria, you probably reach for an array of cleaning products. Although these can be beneficial, they can be potentially harmful to your health. If you suffer from asthma or allergies, for example, the chemicals in these products could trigger a reaction.
Alternatively, getting strong cleaning products on your skin could cause irritation or even chemical burns. In addition to this, inadvertently mixing cleaning products can cause them to react with one another, which can cause toxic gases to be released.
You can minimise the risk by switching to eco-friendly or natural cleaning products. By doing so, you’ll eliminate your exposure to potentially harmful chemicals. If you do use cleaning products that contain chemicals, be sure to wear gloves and a face mask, when necessary.
- Vitamins and supplements
If you want to optimise your health, taking a selection of vitamins and supplement might seem like a good idea. Indeed, if you have a particular deficiency, taking the right vitamin could help to alleviate your symptoms and help you to feel better. However, there could be hidden dangers associated with taking the wrong vitamins or too many supplements.
Few people realise the dangers of taking too many vitamins, which could lead to health issues. Furthermore, vitamins and supplements can interact with one another or with conventional medication. Due to this, it’s important to seek medical advice before adding new supplements or vitamins to your regime. By asking your physician which formulas are right for you, you can ensure that everything you take is safe and beneficial.
- Damp and mould
When damp is untreated, it often causes mould to grow. Although there are various different types of mould, none are great for your health. Prolonged exposure can cause a range of symptoms, including itchy eyes, fatigue, sore throat and nasal congestion. People who are prone to allergies or asthma may also notice that their symptoms worsen when they are exposed to mould.
You can eliminate the health risk mould poses by checking your building or workplace regularly. Pull furniture away from walls so you can see behind it and confirm whether any mould or damp patches are present. If so, seek professional advice in order to remove the mould and damp. In addition to this, you may need to carry out repairs to prevent the building from succumbing to damp again.
Keeping Yourself and Your Family Safe
With so many potential hidden health hazards around, it’s good to take a proactive approach. Once you’re aware of the dangers lurking in your home or workplace, you can conduct an informal risk assessment on a regular basis to determine if any action needs to be taken. By doing so, you can minimise the risk of developing avoidable hidden health hazards and problems and help to keep your loved ones safe.
