Might your building be making you sick?

Victims of sick building syndrome exhibit various symptoms that include headaches, dry itchy skin and irritation of the mucous membranes in the eyes, nose and throat. This condition tends to occur in environments without adequate heat and light, and too much humidity. PHOTO | FILE

What you need to know:

  • This condition tends to occur in environments without adequate heat and light, and too much humidity. It can affect you at home or even at workplace.
  • If employees keep falling sick or feel uncomfortable in the office, ventilation hazards should be eliminated as soon as possible.
  • However, it is important to note that there are other factors that can interfere with workers’ health and enthusiasm, such as  repetitive tasks and poor working relationships.

My first house was on the ground floor of an apartment block. I noticed that every time I was home, I would develop a very bad cold and was constantly tired. I thought it was an allergy but everything changed when I moved to a house on a higher floor in the same building.

The difference between the two houses was that the new house had better lighting and more fresh air and sunlight coming in. It was then that I realised that I had been a victim of sick building syndrome, whose other symptoms include headaches, dry itchy skin and irritation of the mucous membranes in the eyes, nose and throat.

This condition tends to occur in environments without adequate heat and light, and too much humidity. It can affect you at home or even at workplace.

NATURAL AND MECHANICAL REMEDIES

A person suffering from sick building syndrome usually does not have an illness that can be detected through a medical examination, but their suffering is real. In some cases the symptoms are so severe, they make it impossible for a person to continue working in the affected building.

So, if you have recurring symptoms and your doctor can’t find the cause, take a look at your home and office environment. And if you or your co-workers are also having health problems that you think might be related to your office environment, alert to  your human resources department.

If employees keep falling sick or feel uncomfortable in the office, ventilation hazards should be eliminated as soon as possible.

There are two recommended methods of ventilation recommended, namely natural and mechanical.

Natural ventilation is achieved  when a building has adequate ventilation, allowing the free movement of air through windows, doors, and other openings.

Mechanical ventilation is used in buildings in which  natural ventilation is either insufficient or impossible. Consequently, air movement is achieved using fans, vents, and ducts to eliminate the problems caused by stale and stagnant air.

However, it is important to note that there are other factors that can interfere with workers’ health and enthusiasm, such as  repetitive tasks and poor working relationships.

Whether the main problem is stress or bad air, employers should realise that their employees’ suffering is real.