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How to Revamp Health and Safety of Your Employees by Implementing WELL Water Concept?

Sarah often finds herself battling dehydration, fatigue, and a persistent lack of focus at work. Amidst the hum of fluorescent lights and the constant clicking of keyboards, there exists her silent struggles. Each day blends into the next, her productivity waning, and her overall wellbeing seemingly slipping away. The culprit? Let’s find out! Unpleasant-tasting drinking water and lingering moisture around add to her discomfort and respiratory issues. She often faces barriers to accessing clean water, as the nearest dispenser is inconveniently located, disrupting her workflow and perpetuating her symptoms.

Research conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicates that up to 20% of commercial buildings suffer from water quality issues, ranging from microbial contamination to chemical pollutants which often go unnoticed while designing workplaces.

As Sarah’s story unfolds, it becomes evident that her experience is not unique. Across industries, employees like her are grappling with the repercussions of environments that neglect their holistic well-being. Alarmingly, 10% of workplace-related illnesses are linked to exposure to contaminated water sources and unwanted dampness, highlighting the urgent necessity for stringent quality control measures, as outlined in a report by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

However, amidst these challenges, a ray of hope emerges with the integration of WELL Water concepts. Let us dive deeper into the WELL Water concept.

Understanding WELL Water Concept

The WELL Water concept, devised by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), emphasizes optimizing water quality, distribution, and control in built environments to enhance human health and comfort. It encompasses ensuring access to clean drinking water while managing contaminant thresholds and moisture levels effectively.

Inadequate hydration persists due to factors such as perceptions of water quality. Water usage in buildings presents unique challenges, necessitating proactive measures to prevent contamination. The concept aims to promote hydration, mitigate health risks associated with contamination and moisture, and ensure sanitation through improved infrastructure and awareness.

By prioritizing these aspects, the WELL Water concept aims to create healthier, more sustainable built environments that support the overall well-being of occupants.

The Benefits of Implementing WELL Water Concepts

Workplaces designed with WELL Water principles yield numerous benefits for both employees and organizations, such as:

• Access to high-quality water sources can enhance cognitive function by up to 14%, leading to sharper focus and increased productivity, according to a study by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

• Integrating water-efficient fixtures and promoting hydration awareness can lead to significant cost savings for businesses.

• Implementing water-saving measures can result in a 30% reduction in water usage, translating to substantial financial gains, as per research.

• Implementing leak detection and repair programs to address any water wastage.

Implementing WELL Water Concepts: Practical Strategies for Success

Here are some actionable techniques to incorporate WELL Water concepts into your design:

Enhance Water Quality

WELL Water

• Confirm that water delivered to the project for human consumption meets specified thresholds for various parameters:

Chemical Threshold
Aluminium: ≤ 0.2 mg/L
Chloride: ≤ 250 mg/L
Copper: ≤ 1 mg/L
Manganese: ≤ 0.05 mg/L
Iron: ≤ 0.3 mg/L
Sodium: ≤ 270 mg/L
Sulfate: ≤ 250 mg/L
Zinc: ≤ 5 mg/L
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS): ≤ 500 mg/L
Free Chlorine: ≤ 1.25 mg/L

• Ensure that water quality parameters are within acceptable limits to safeguard the health and well-being of occupants.

Promote Active Water Consumption

Clean Water At Work

1. Dispenser Availability and Accessibility

• Ensure at least one drinking water dispenser on each floor, within a 100 ft walk distance of all regularly occupied floor areas, and in all dining areas (unless prohibited by building codes).
• Install drinking water stations designed for water bottle-refilling to promote hydration convenience.
• Validate compliance through Technical Document Audits.

2. Dispenser Maintenance Protocol

• Implement a daily cleaning regimen for all drinking water dispensers, focusing on mouthpieces, protective guards, aerators (if present), basins, and touchpoints.
• Ensure strict adherence to maintenance procedures to uphold hygiene standards and prevent contamination.
• Regularly inspect and audit dispenser maintenance practices to verify compliance with cleaning protocols.

Design For Moisture Management

• Protect moisture-sensitive materials by selecting moisture-resistant materials or finishes for surfaces prone to exposure to liquid water, such as finished floors.

• Utilize moisture-resistant materials in areas susceptible to moisture absorption, below-grade areas, washrooms, janitorial rooms, and kitchens.

• Address condensation on interior walls and glazing, to prevent moisture buildup and potential damage.

In Conclusion

In the quest for workplace optimization, prioritizing the integration of WELL Water concepts is not merely a choice – it’s a necessity. By harnessing the power of holistic design principles, organizations can cultivate environments that nurture the well-being of their most valuable asset: their people.

To embark on your journey towards a future-ready workplace, connect with WELL Accredited Professionals at Zyeta today and unlock the potential of wellbeing-centric design.

Similar Reads:

Bringing in Wellness to the Workspace!

The Correlation Between Design and Mental Wellbeing at Work

As both an Architect and Architectural Journalist, he thrives on building unique content, with words and thoughts--as his brick and mortar. A natural-born explorer, he puts no limits on things he's passionate about diving into, be it cuisines, cultures or books. An avid fiction reader and a chronic over-thinker, he still finds enough time to be happy-go-lucky and easy to approach.



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