What is “sick building” syndrome?
“Sick building syndrome” describes a situation in which people spending time in a building experience a range of symptoms that they believe are related to that building. Poor indoor air quality may be the cause of these symptoms. But other factors such as lighting, noise, poorly designed workstations, and psychological and social factors may contribute to sick building syndrome. Common indoor air pollutants (see Indoor Air Pollution) can affect air quality in the workplace, including biological contaminants such as mold and mildew and VOCs from cleaners, adhesives, office machines, furniture, or building materials. Many office buildings built since the 1970s were designed to maximize energy efficiency by allowing very little outdoor air into the building through windows or ventilation systems. Poor ventilation and heat and air conditioning systems can lead to the buildup of indoor air pollution. Symptoms of sick building syndrome may include irritation of the eyes, nose, or throat; diz
killing black mold In the 1970s, health care providers were faced with increasing numbers of people having headaches and allergic-like reactions to unspecified stimuli. Some of the reactions included lethargy, fatigue, headache, dizziness, nausea, irritation of mucous membranes, eye and/or nasopharyngeal irritation, and sensitivity to odors. Through exploration over several years, these reactions were linked to common symptoms of people in specific buildings and a lack of symptoms when these people were not in the buildings. This spectrum of specific and non-specific complaints, when tied to a particular building, became known as the “sick building syndrome.” What are the symptoms frequently associated with sick building syndrome: killing black mold • Headache, fatigue and shortness of breath. • Sinus congestion, cough and sneezing. • Eye, nose, throat, and skin irritation. • Dizziness and nausea. Because not everyone has the same sensitivities, it is understandable that one building o
