Sick building syndrome

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) refers to a medical condition where people in a building suffer from symptoms of illness or feel unwell for no apparent reason. The symptoms tend to increase in severity with the time people spend in the building, and improve over time or even disappear when people are away from the building.

Symptoms

The symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome may include headaches, dizziness, chronic fatigue, nausea, irritation (of eye, nose, throat, or skin), difficulty concentrating, sensitivity to odors, allergies, cold, flu-like symptoms, increased incidence of asthma attacks and personality changes. The cause of the symptoms is often linked to poor indoor air quality.

Causes

Sick Building Syndrome is usually attributed to flaws in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Other causes have been attributed to contaminants produced by outgassing of some types of building materials, volatile organic compounds (VOC), molds (see Mold health issues), improper exhaust ventilation of ozone (byproduct of some office machinery), light industrial chemicals used within, or lack of adequate fresh-air intake/air filtration (see Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value).

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of Sick Building Syndrome is very difficult as it is not a specific illness and the symptoms are often vague. Most of the complainants recover once they are removed from the building. Because the symptoms are subjective and no clinically measurable responses have been identified, it is often dismissed as being psychological. However, many experts agree that the symptoms are real and can be caused by a variety of factors.

Treatment

The primary treatment for Sick Building Syndrome is to eliminate the source of the air pollution and to ventilate the building. This can often be accomplished by routine maintenance of the HVAC system and replacing water-stained ceiling tiles and carpeting. Eliminating the sources of water intrusion and moisture will help to reduce the growth of mold and other biological contaminants.

Prevention

Prevention of Sick Building Syndrome involves proper building design, effective building maintenance, and good indoor air quality.

See also

• Building biology
• Indoor air quality
• Multiple chemical sensitivity
• Occupational safety and health
• Sick house syndrome

References

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