PRESS RELEASE: Is your air conditioner making you sick?

Concerns are rising for the health of agricultural workers that operate vehicles, particularly fleet drivers, with possible exposure to mould, bacteria and viruses in the vehicle air-conditioners.

Mould alone can cause serious health issues.

“Exposure to fungal spores, released by the moulds that surround us in everyday environments, is increasingly recognised as a cause of ill-health,” said Dr Justin Beardsley, an infectious disease specialist and researcher at the University of Sydney.

“Diseases range from allergy-driven worsening of asthma, through long-term low-grade infections, to serious invasive infections. People with other health conditions, especially those with lung disease or taking immuno-suppressing medication, are particularly at risk and are advised to avoid heavy exposure to fungal spores wherever possible.”

David Boland and Richard Oates are the Directors of BG Northwest and supply chemical treatments and service equipment to the agricultural, heavy diesel and automotive industry.

“We are seeing a higher demand for air conditioning sanitisation products,” said Richard. “Essentially, exposure to mould, bacteria and so on is not creating a safe working environment for employees, particularly in fleet vehicles that are shared.”

BG has developed a product, Frigi-Fresh, that efficiently and safely cleans vehicle air conditioning units to eliminate all of this, as well as bad odours. It’s USA EPA and USDA approved and proven to kill viruses and bacteria.

David said: “In the agricultural industry workers are constantly driving heavy vehicles. It’s easy to overlook a build-up of this stuff in your air con units, but you really can’t afford to.”

“When on the road, bugs and other debris build up in the air intake which gets sucked through the air conditioning. Obviously now is a testy time when it comes to virus’, so many of the business’ we supply are creating their own health and safety conditions that include sanitising the air.”