Sick Building Syndrome – Is Your Workplace Making you Sick?

Do you have Sick Building Syndrome? Do you work or live in a ’sick building’? How would you know? Many of us might come home after a long day at work with a headache, or feel a little dizzy after sitting for awhile at a computer. Others might complain of eye strain from fluorescent lights or stuffiness because of a warm or crowded office; but the truth of the matter is these symptoms and far worse can be caused by the physical infrastructure and upholstery of the building you work in. Countless people are going about their daily lives at work feeling sick, thinking it’s just stress or another factor in their lives, when in actuality it’s a serious condition known as sick building syndrome. The name of this disease certainly doesn’t sound very scientific, but it’s very real and a serious health hazard that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

What are the symptoms of sick building syndrome? If you suspect you or a coworker is experiencing sick building syndrome, here are some symptoms to watch out for.

This isn’t meant to diagnose you officially, nor is it an exhaustive list if you’re experiencing a symptom that’s not featured. It’s always best to check with your doctor or consult an indoor air quality specialist to get to the heart of the problem. If your building inhabits molds, fungi, spores or other unhealthy chemicals and microscopic agents, you might experience the following (thanks to Wikipedia, and the Environmental Protection Agency for helpful information):

• headache

• eye, nose and throat irritation

• a dry cough

• dry or itchy skin

• dizziness

• nausea

• problems concentrating

• fatigue

• sensitivity to odors

• asthma-like symptoms in non-asthmatics or asthma attacks in asthmatics

• emotional changes such as depression, moodiness, or paranoia

• pneumonia that doesn’t respond to treatment

• symptoms mimicking irritable bowel syndrome

Of course, it’s important to remember that a variety of other factors could contribute to these symptoms. It’s important to make sure that you’ve addressed any other areas of your life that might be contributing to your health in this way. Also, if you are particularly unhappy with your job or under a large amount of stress, similar symptoms could be a result.

What causes sick building syndrome?
Sick building syndrome is often caused by inadequate ventilation, or poor integration of an "HVAC" system. This includes the heating, ventilation and cooling systems in a building. Even distribution of air along with enough air changes per hour to circulate the air in a building is important to the indoor health of its occupants. Other factors contributing to sick building syndrome might include chemical fumes from things such as carpeting, office supplies like printers, computers, and desks. Depending on the type of work going on in the building, this risk could be higher for chemical problems. There also may be outdoor pollutants contributing from busy city streets or industrial parks, as well as biological contaminants in the building structure such as mold, mildew, dust mites, pollen and viruses.

How do I fix this situation without losing my job?
It’s understandable that you’ll want to address this issue as quickly as possible, but the process in rectifying the situation in your building may take much longer. Depending on the severity of your symptoms and the type of job that you have, this can be a very difficult situation to be in. On one hand, you may be very sick, have determined it’s the building that’s causing it, and get permission to work from home. On the other hand, your job may require you to be on-site, and others might not be experiencing symptoms, in which case it can be difficult to make your voice heard. One piece of action you can take is to get an air purifier to keep by your desk or in your office. If you’re able to bring this issue to the attention of someone who is in charge of building maintenance, you may be able to arrange an indoor air quality evaluation and walkthrough, which can help determine the problem and work toward a permanent solution for everyone.

Solutions to the problem may include pollutant removal, heightened ventilation rates, installing particle control devices (air purifiers), full cleaning of upholstery and venting systems, and raising awareness of these issues with officials in charge of building maintenance and safety.

For more information on identifying sick building syndrome and raising awareness for this serious and ambiguous condition, please feel free to visit the following links:

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
The Environmental Protection Agency’s Sick Building Syndrome Page
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)