SICK BUILDING SYNDROME - A REAL THREAT
by Dan Shalhoub
These days people spend most of their time indoors, some estimates putting it at over 90% of their lives in "constructed environments". Recently, the construction of buildings has focused on energy efficiency and comfort. With central heating and air conditioning being the norm, buildings have increasingly made "energy conservation" the priority, thereby making buildings airtight. At the same time, more complex materials are being used in such things as furniture, carpeting, fabrics and cleaning solvents. In addition, it was found that certain molds and fungi thrive in insulation and ventilating ducts. This coupling of sealed buildings, mold spores and manmade chemicals produces a condition called SICK BUILDING SYNDROME (S.B.S).
In the mid 70, healthcare workers were confronted with a disturbing number of people complaining of symptoms ranging from headaches and nausea to fatigue and dizziness. A thorough investigation found that the "off-gassing" of the chemicals in the aforementioned items and the dust and mold circulating in the building was the culprit behind S.B.S.
There are no easy solutions to the problem of S.B.S. However there are certain steps that can be taken to alleviate some symptoms. First of all, encourage people to get more fresh air during the day, such as at lunch time or short breaks. Secondly, making the environment as clean as possible is certainly a factor. Joseph E. Heimlich of the University of Ohio recommends paying special attention to the filtration system in the building. Not to be overlooked are things that are commonly called "dust magnets" such as window treatments, mini-blinds and drapes. There are even things one can do on a personal level, for example, not wearing perfumes or colognes that may aggravate the condition for other people.
The annual cost of absenteeism, low productivity, and health related issues caused by S.B.S. is now running into the tens of millions of dollars according to present estimates. And although there may not be any permanent solutions on the horizon, certainly the steps mentioned above are a good place to start.
Dan Shalhoub is a blind cleaner located in Milwaukee, WI
This article was published in the trade journal BUILDING SERVICES MAGAZINE - AUGUST, 2004.
