Regarding particulate matter (PM), the amount of information at present has only identified some sources of indoor pollutants in residential homes as coming from bathroom products, stovetop cooking, cleaning chemicals, and indoor fireplaces.

Again, no specific indoor business or operation has had a study conducted of other possible sources for the creation of particulate matter (PM) material debris except studies conducted on the migration of outdoor pollutants indoors via lower-rated PM filtration HVAC systems and particulate matter infiltration due to older buildings’ lack of modern “seal tight” construction materials and buildout technology.

However, one very significant fact in the creation of particulate matter is recognized. Increased water vapor and humidity will increase the production of particulate matter (PM) outdoors or indoors and will be far more impactful with humidity production indoors.

Animal care facilities with grooming services generally have many contaminants that can create an optimum climate for particulate matter (PM) production. Indoor activity alone creates an environment for a more dangerous and unhealthy workspace by spreading PM to all corners of the room.

Building facilities’ construction, indoor area sizes, equipment utilized, routine grooming activities, grooming products utilized, and clientele traffic with animals mostly needing at least a bath create additional challenges. Facilities, although differing from locale to locale, have generally a similar overall environment that lend themselves to higher particulate matter (PM) creation than most other indoor retail or service businesses, putting them at a higher risk category for short-term and long-term health risks through higher exposure to PM, and these environmental disadvantages include:

1. Many facilities are located in older buildings not designed to specifically minimize outdoor PM seepage.
2. Grooming spaces are generally very compact, with a main room and few separate spaces that can be completely isolated.
3. Many salons are not equipped with separate room HVAC systems.
4. Salon HVAC systems, if installed, do not generally come equipped with a HEPA filter to remove PM2.5 from outdoor air.
5. Salons are often only equipped with window air conditioning units that use a porous foam filter that does not effectively filter PM.
6. Most grooming operations utilize electric appliances/equipment with carbon type motors that expel very fine carbon dust during operation.
7. Grooming operators use various cleaning, sanitizing, and odor removing chemicals which are in daily use, and can contribute to PM production.
8. A wide range of grooming products exist such as shampoos, rinses, tangle removers, colognes, conditioners, insecticides,  and coloring products sometimes delivered by pump or aerosol sprays which can create further PM formation.
9. Grooming, generally requires bathing, brushing, combing, scissoring, and clipping, which produces large amounts of fine particle pollutants and PM.
10. Bathed animals must be dried, which usually calls for force, cage, or finish dryers to further add even more PM and carbon debris into the air.
11. Drying wet animals also dramatically increases water moisture to the workspace. This creates a high humidity in a compact space further creating PM and much higher health risks.

We can only imagine the extent of risk groomers and other animal care personnel face in the pursuit of their profession working in such a challenging work environment, so rich in particulate matter (PM) contaminants.

The good news is that we can control all these health risks and workspace comfort issues by taking advantage of modern solutions practiced in other high-risk occupations. We will next examine the real dangers faced in not controlling indoor particulate matter (PM) contamination. After that, we’ll cover the recommendations for controlling the most serious of health challenges faced in the animal care industry.

We can never be sure at this point without scientific studies exactly how much particulate matter (PM) is produced in the grooming environment. However, for those curious, there are many particulate matter measuring devices that can easily reveal dangerous 2.5 micron PM levels, highlighting the importance of awareness and action required in reducing the risk of working in the animal care environment.

Stay tuned,
The Professor