WORKING OUT OF THE BOX

A new global survey, released in March 2022, has identified crucial sensory issues in office environments among neurodiverse employees in Canada, the U.S. and UK. How should organizations adapt and revolutionize their workplace to suit these ‘out-of-the-box’ thinkers?

In the Sensory Processing, Neurodiversity and Workplace Design report, design firm HOK and flooring manufacturer Tarkett collected feedback from 202 neurodiverse individuals, with a focus on women and workers older than 30—two groups that have been historically underrepresented in other studies of this kind.

Neurodiversity refers to variations in human neurocognitive functioning – the different ways we think, process information, and relate to others. One in seven people worldwide are estimated to have a neurodiverse condition such as

ADHD, autism, dyspraxia, dyslexia and

Tourette’s syndrome.

“This latest study continues to show that, to allow all employees to thrive, office designs need to remain fluid and adaptable,” says Kay Sargent, director of workplace for HOK. “Employers can improve employee wellness and productivity by offering a wide range of choices, allowing people to continually select the best space for their individual needs and the task at hand.”

GENDER, AGE AND NEUROLOGICAL DIFFERENCES

Neurodiverse women reported greater overall sensory sensitivity challenges in the workplace compared to men, particularly when it came to temperature and light (62 per cent and 59 per cent compared to 46 per cent and 44 per cent, respectively).

Many respondents struggle disproportionately with sensory under- or over stimulation, which makes it difficult for them to thrive in a workplace designed for neurotypical individuals. To better understand what the most challenging aspects of the workplace are for these neuro-minorities, HOK and Tarkett explored what the respondents were over- (hyper) and under- (hypo) stimulated by.

Some individuals were found to be both hyposensitive to some sensory stimulation while being hypersensitive to others. But the majority of respondents (77 per cent) reported being hypersensitive to noise and sound in the workplace, while 62 per cent were hypersensitive to visual distractions, such as people turning in their seat, moving around the space, desk clutter and an array of colours and textures.

Those who identified as hypersensitive prefer environments with controlled stimuli and dislike environments with excessive stimuli such as bright lights, crowds, unfamiliar scents, textures, or temperature fluctuations. They prefer details like light, neutral colours, clean orderly spaces, organic, simple patterns and personal space boundaries.

Autistic individuals had a lower threshold for sensory stimulation than other groups, which means that they are more likely to feel overwhelmed in a poorly adjusted environment than others.

Those who reported being hyposenstive have difficulty seeing, hearing, or feeling the acute sensory details in a given environment and need more sensory stimuli to successfully process information. They prefer details like layering textures and planes, saturated, contrasting colours, plenty of visual interest and space to move and fidget.

Acoustical and visual under stimulation were identified as the most pressing, which would indicate that these individuals may find it difficult to identify

where a sound is coming from and not respond when addressed. As well, visual under stimulation can make it difficult to make out where items start and finish, which could make a patterned environment confusing or make it difficult to find a particular item amongst clutter. Women were more visually challenged than men in this study.

The 60-plus years old age group indicated that they need much more visual stimulation than those between 30-50 years old. People under 30 years old struggled more with proprioceptive issues and may find it difficult to move around a space without bumping into objects; they may come across as clumsy, breaking delicate items as they use excessive force.

INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE TIPS

Genius Within, an organization dedicated to helping neuro-minorities maximize their potential, provided advisory services as the team built on in-depth research and insights by HOK and the commercial interiors colour specification guide developed by Tarkett to help businesses design for inclusion.

Survey respondents specifically identified the following workplace strategy and design solutions employers could consider: • Offer training and education about neurodiversity to all staff. • Offer all employees (neurodiverse and neurotypical) a variety of workplace choices, from open office environments to private, to address various sensory stimulations. • Provide spaces that support and encourage physical movement and access to natural light. • Create flexible work policies that give people autonomy over their schedule and work environment, including work-from-home opportunities when feasible.

While the pandemic has normalized hybrid work and encouraged a wider conversation around employee wellbeing, the survey suggests opportunities still exist for organizations to do more.

Concern about the proximity of colleagues will not be limited to the neurodiverse post-pandemic. “Many people now have a heightened sensitivity to their surroundings and the sensory elements within it. As businesses across the globe transition ‘back to the office,’ this is likely to make many people uncomfortable.”

Women in this study felt less troubled than men about being in an open, communal space. But as the research cautions, other studies have shown that women can feel as if they are ‘on display’ in these types of environments. Creating spaces with options and balance is important.

Getting permission from individual employees before adjusting their working environment is crucial as they may be sensitive about ‘standing out’ or want to be in control of how their condition, challenges and strengths are communicated internally.

“Neurodiverse employees bring valuable diversity of thought and competitive advantage to their organizations,” says Leslie Thompson, director of workplace for Tarkett North America. “Optimizing the work environment to support each individual isn’t just the right thing to do for our people; it’s simply good business.” | CFM&D

“Neurodiverse women reported greater overall sensory sensitivity challenges in the workplace compared to men.”

STUDY FINDS EMPLOYMENT BARRIERS FOR AUTISTIC COMMUNITY

A recent report by Deloitte Canada and technology consulting firm auticon Canada found that employers need to do more to understand neurodiversity, reduce barriers to employment for those with autism, and create thoughtful structural supports to foster deeper inclusion among the autistic community.

Embracing neurodiversity at work: How Canadians with autism can help employers close the talent gap underscores how the autistic community is often underrepresented and underemployed, despite its potential to provide new skills and talent.

The joint report surveyed 454 adults across Canada. Among the highest ranked barriers facing those with autism is a focus on social competency during the interview process, with 40 per cent of respondents citing it as a “great challenge.”

A lack of structural support systems, including flexbile work policies, also impacts employee retention. In 2020, 48 per cent of Canadian companies reported they were experiencing workforce shortages—double the rate disclosed 10 years earlier. Canadian businesses have made significant strides toward improving diversity, equity, and inclusion on many fronts, but employment barriers remain for neurodiverse Canadians.

The full report can be found at: https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/ca/Documents/fcc/ca-autism-2030. pdf?icid=untapped-fcc-en

BY BRENT PECKOVER

SAFELY USING UVC LIGHT DISINFECTION

How facility managers can safely and effectively use UVC light to disinfect their indoor spaces

Reducing the risk of viral spread in many of society’s vital spaces has fallen to the facility manager and the safeguards and technology they have available to them. Viruses and bacteria, aka pathogens, can exist in the air and on surfaces. Facility managers need to deploy strategies that address both of these areas in order to improve the safety of the space.

With the spread of SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, many options claim to be capable of addressing airborne pathogens, including devices like ionizers, ozone and hydrogen peroxide emitters, but none of those technologies has been proven, tested, and used to inactivate pathogens for over a century. The longterm effects of these technologies are unknown and may come with serious risks, calling into question their use in schools, hospitals, and locations with vulnerable populations.

There exists one area of technology that has been tested thoroughly and proven to be effective at ensuring safety: UVC light disinfection.

HOW UVC LIGHT DISINFECTION WORKS

On the most basic level, UV light is broken down into three categories, UVA and UVB which create your tan when you visit the beach, and UVC which is mostly filtered out by the upper atmosphere. Very little UVC (100-280 nanometers) light reaches the earth’s surface. As people began to realize the efficacy of UVC light and looked to harness the power of UVC light disinfection - which is capable of inactivating 99.9 per cent of pathogens - they turned to the easiest way available to produce UVC light, which was with mercury lamps.

Unfortunately, mercury is a neurotoxin and because of this, mercury lamps need to be handled with extreme care. If one breaks, the area needs to undergo serious clean-up and all the people near it must follow strict safety protocols to ensure their health and wellbeing.

Furthermore, the 254 nm wavelength of UVC light produced by mercury lamps effectively penetrates the eyes and skin of people and is known to cause acute and chronic eye and skin damage such as photokeratitis, erythema, cataracts, and cancer. As a result, UVC disinfection systems that use 254 nm light must do so in such a way that humans are not exposed to the UVC energy. A great example of employing such a strategy is when 254 nm light is used to disinfect dental tools,

which must be done inside a selfcontained UVC oven.

Another example of this during the pandemic has been the use of 254 nm light to disinfect subway cars, but only between operations or at night to ensure the cars are unoccupied. Sadly, when the people return to the space, they bring with them the pathogens we are trying to keep out of the space. Due to the exposure issues, the use of UVC light disinfection in occupied spaces has been limited, until now.

USING UVC LIGHT TO DISINFECT OCCUPIED SPACES

Historically, there have been two strategies to address the safety concerns with using UVC light to disinfect air in occupied spaces: The first is upper room UV, which involves deploying high power UVC light into the space above people’s heads, far enough away that they are not being affected by it. The second strategy is in-duct systems, which involves placing a UVC lamp into the HVAC ductwork, but this method does not address spaces with insufficient air ventilation.

Both upper room UV and in-duct systems typically use hazardous 254nm mercury lamps and only target air disinfection and do not provide any surface pathogen mitigation. Enter Columbia University, where in 2012, a team led by physicist Dr. David Brenner discovered that another wavelength of light within the UVC spectrum - 222 nm - had a similar ability to inactivate pathogens as the traditionally-used 254 nm wavelength, but without the harmful effects on humans. Through their research, Dr. Brenner and his team found the 222 nm wavelength was being absorbed by the dead skin layer on the body and the tear layer in the eye in a manner that showed no adverse effects to people, yet still effectively inactivated pathogens just as effectively as the 254 nm wavelength. Finally, we have a UVC light to disinfect occupied indoor spaces, and today there exist products on the market that harness this.

“Historically, there have been two strategies to address the safety concerns with using UVC light to disinfect air in occupied spaces.”

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A UVC LIGHT DISINFECTION PRODUCT

With the full potential of UVC light disinfection now available to the facilities managers who are entrusted with keeping vital spaces safe, what should these professionals be looking for in a UVC light disinfection product as they aim to leverage the technology? It all comes down to safety, and there are three main factors when deciding which UVC product to buy. First, any product being considered for a facility should include 222 nm light as it has the advantage of supporting surface disinfection. Second, ensure that any 222 nm light entering occupied spaces has a tested filter which attenuates the harmful longer wavelengths of 230 nm and greater. And third, it is vital to check that a product has passed all three types of safety regulations required by UL8802, which include:

• Electrical Safety: As a standard for any electronic device, this safety certification is put forward as a demonstration that the device is safe.

But this alone isn’t sufficient when it comes to UVC light products.

• Photobiological Compliance:

This ensures that products comply with currently accepted maximum allowable exposure limits.

• Control Safety Testing: This ensures that if a fault in the system occurs, the system will fail safely and occupants within the space will not be overexposed to higher than currently accepted levels.

With those safety requirements met, facilities managers can leverage the immense disinfection power of 222nm UVC light to keep their facilities and everybody who comes through them safer. | CFM&D

Brent Peckover, P. Eng., is the director of industrial applications at Christie Digital, focusing on launching innovative ideas outside of traditional markets and applications.

While spearheading the design and development activities for commercial ultraviolet disinfection products, Brent has gained insight into how UVC light disinfects surfaces and air, in addition to understanding the process in which UVC light inactivates bacteria and viruses at a generic level.

PUTTING IAQ FIRST IN FACILITY MANAGEMENT

In the world of facility management, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) reigns supreme. Clean, hygienic environments are now all but essenti al for protecti ng workers, easing anxieti es and keeping operati ons on track.

“Maintaining a high indoor air quality has always been important, but with heightened risks of airborne illness, it’s right up there on the list of prioriti es for warehouse and facility teams,” says Tom Mannsfeldt, Senior Manager, Commercial Sales at Enercare Commercial Services.

It makes sense that IAQ is dominati ng the conversati on. With warehouse acti vity ramping up, the inability to protect facility occupants from airborne illnesses can quickly lead to workforce challenges.

“There’s no questi on that the fi rst goal of IAQ is to keep workers safe and confi dent in coming to work; and when you do that, you also address the second goal, which is to maintain warehouse producti vity in a ti me when acti vity is ramping up,” says Mannsfeldt.

No doubt, between a surge in online shopping and supply chain backlogs, now is no ti me for fulfi llment centres and producti on lines to go silent. And in busy environments where workers oft en work in close quarters, this means ensuring the best IAQ strategies, protocols and technologies are being used to provide everyone with a breath of fresh air.

“There’s already enough disrupti on in the world right now,” says Mannsfeldt. “Prioriti zing IAQ is one way of minimizing an increasingly common business disrupti on that can otherwise impact safety and a facility’s operati ons.”

IT TAKES A GAME PLAN

Faciliti es are parti cularly suscepti ble to indoor air quality issues. Any number of harmful parti culates can be produced during the course of producti on or assembly operati ons, while exhaust from nearby trucks can be pulled into the environment without proper controls.

Without proper miti gati on strategies, these pollutants can collect in a warehouse environment and take their toll on anyone who enters the space. Thus, it’s criti cal to create healthier indoor spaces through several key steps: • Eliminating the sources:

Improving IAQ means identi fying and removing the sources of pollutants. For example, says

Mannsfeldt, “So if we know that the facility’s doors are staying open a long ti me, and that this is causing exhaust from idling trucks to enter the building, then we can look at ways to minimize that, whether it’s through scheduling, putti ng in air curtains or simply making facility managers aware this is happening.” • Enhance filtration and fresh air delivery: The risks of airborne pollutants or illnesses will never go away. That’s why it’s important

INDOOR AIR QUALITY

to implement technologies and resources that will work at all hours to trap harmful pollutants and keep fresh air in rotati on to minimize those risks. Even sti ll, adds Mannsfeldt, “We see a lot of buildings that have fresh air delivery already, but they’re either underperforming or not being maintained. In some cases, they’re turned off completely to save expenses, which is a problem because that means clean air isn’t being brought into the space.” • Monitor your environment:

Maintaining healthy IAQ requires visibility into environmental conditi ons. To that end, there are benefi ts to using IAQ systems with sensor technology that can monitor various air quality factors and provide real-ti me reports to building staff .

NO IAQ STRATEGY IS THE SAME

Healthy IAQ requires a tailored strategy. For this reason, there are advantages to working with indoor air quality specialists who can assess and address a building’s unique requirements.

For example, says Mannsfeldt, “What we can do is come in, conduct a site audit, and use that data to map out an IAQ approach that works best for that parti cular space. It may be a building-wide approach, but it may be just certain areas more than others. Either way, we can map out what a client needs and provide a report and acti on list detailing how they can achieve an ideal IAQ.”

This custom-made approach is essenti al, he adds, as it ensures that investments in IAQ align with the facility’s actual needs and budget: “If you’re going to spend money on the soluti on, you obviously want to solve the problem. That means targeti ng your pain points in a way that’s most eff ecti ve and budget-friendly.”

TAKING A BREATH

Much has been said about IAQ in the wake of the pandemic, and for good reason. As the world returns to work, keeping workforces healthy and confi dent in their surroundings is criti cal to protecti ng lives and the bott om line.