Our offices are vulnerable to disease and illness purely because of the diverse nature of the people who work in them. You and I may make a concerted effort to keep our area of the office clean but how many others are even cognisant of the dangers lurking in the communal coffee mugs and other shared items?

The vast majority of us do not have the time to take our meal and coffee breaks properly and instead we chow down in front of the computer but how many of us bother to clean up afterwards?

There are several food and airborne illnesses brought into your work space unintentionally and some of these bacterial & viral problems can make you and your colleagues critically ill.

Acute viral nasopharyngitis, or acute coryza, normally referred to as the common cold, is an unpleasant and unwelcome visitor that, while not life threatening, can make your life a bit of a misery. It is a highly contagious virus that can be spread around your office in a matter of minutes and is transmitted via airwaves through coughing and sneezing or from contact with the infected person's secretions, either directly or from contaminated surfaces. So after you've made some calls on the communal phone or sent a pile of faxes to head office, make for the bathroom and wash those hands!


Food poisoning is the common and extremely unpleasant result of improper handling, preparation or storage of food. Good hygiene before and during the preparation of food can reduce the chances of contamination from a broad variety of bacteria, viruses or parasites. Symptoms include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and gastroenteritis.


Influenza is another infectious disease that afflicts most humans on a regular basis and symptoms include chills, muscles pains and fever. It is highly infectious and can be picked up by direct contact with the infected person or any office equipment they may have used including fax machines, printers, office cutlery and crockery and telephones.


Another unsightly and painful viral disease that can be transmitted by direct contact with an infected colleague is oral Herpes. The visible symptoms are called ‘cold sores' and infect the face and mouth. Poor cleanliness and hygiene in busy offices are known risk factors, so it's best to take care when using communal glasses, mugs, plates and cutlery.


Infectious mononucleosis is better known as glandular fever and this viral disease is highly infectious and debilitating. Characterised by fever, sore throat and fatigue, it is known to affect the victim for prolonged periods of time, sometimes up to 6 months. This illness, together with flu, colds and other common viruses, can be passed around the office with impunity unless high standards of personal and office hygiene are maintained on an ongoing basis.


Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause serious illness in humans and many domesticated animals are natural carriers. Cross-contamination owing to poor hygiene, amongst other things, can result in Salmonellosis, which is a rather nasty form of poisoning - common symptoms include severe abdominal pain in conjunction with fevers, headaches, nausea and vomiting. Leaving meat, poultry or eggs out of the fridge for any lengthy period can increase the risk of salmomella poisoning as the bacteria are more likely to proliferate in warm, humid conditions.

These unpleasant illnesses are some of the dangers that lurk in an unclean work area, especially in a warm environment like South Africa. It is the responsibility of business owners to protect their staff by recruiting a reputable cleaning equipment contractor. Not only will absenteeism drop significantly, but workers will arguably be more productive in a clean, fresh and danger-free environment.