Are your office employees or customers at risk of developing sick building symptoms? Sick Building Syndrome is officially recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) as an identifiable cause of a spectrum of maladies and symptoms that are often difficult to diagnose. WHO has estimated that nearly one-third of new and remodeled buildings may present indoor air quality issues that trigger sick building symptoms in susceptible individuals.
What Are The Symptoms?
Workers, customers and others in commercial structures may complain of physical effects that may be due to air quality issues within the building. These include unexplained fatigue, irritation of eye, nose or throat, feeling of dizziness and nausea, dry cough, difficulty concentrating, and increased sensitivity to odors.
Is There A Pattern?
Affected workers often note that the symptoms tend to coincide with their working hours and decline in severity after leaving work. Many report that symptoms disappear entirely on days off or during a vacation. Some may experience symptoms only in certain areas or the building and not in others. The common denominator among different individuals who report sick building symptoms, however, is always the same: the building.
What Are The Causes?
Sick building syndrome is believed to be due to air quality issues. Here are the most likely suspects:
- Biological contamination. Chief among these causes is the presence of one or more toxic varieties of mold. Active mold growth inside a structure continuously releases microscopic airborne reproductive spores into the air. These pathogens may trigger a spectrum of symptoms in individuals who are sensitive to mold.
- Chemical issues. Vapors chronically emitted by certain building materials, especially those in the category of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like formaldehyde, may affect workers and others during the hours they are present in the building.
- Outdoor sources. High levels of outdoor pollutants such as vehicle exhaust or industrial fumes that infiltrate the building through sources such as the HVAC system may also produce illness in occupants.
If you suspect sick building symptoms in your facility, ask the experts at Rytech, Inc. for a professional inspection.
