Scent-sitivity at Work

As an early birthday present (tomorrow's the big day), I treated myself to a bottle of perfume I had first seen last holiday season. I've had a hard time tracking it down, but I found it yesterday and went for it.

When my husband was leaving for work this morning, he reminded me: "Don't forget to wear your new perfume." We both like things that smell nice. We have scented candles, diffusers, essential oils, wax tarts and potpourri sprinkled throughout the house to keep things smelling good. To be honest, sometimes I think my husband takes it too far. Going into the bathroom after he's finished getting ready and sprayed cologne all over the place is occasionally too much for me to handle.

Nonetheless, this morning I put on some of my new perfume as I got dressed. Then I got into my car with its vanilla air freshener and walked through the flower-scented finance area at work on the way to my desk.

All these scents put me in a good mood. But for some workers, it's toxic. According to this article, many people, like the author, suffer from "multiple chemical sensitivity, an environmental illness caused by repeated exposure to airborne chemicals reaching the brain via the nose. It's a disorder recognized and covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act."

While the author's office went fragrance-free, this article from HR.BLR.com mentions that it's very hard to enforce since so many products contain fragrances. It also suggests measures that HR pros can take to help those affected by this and similar conditions.

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