Sick Building Syndrome

How Healthy is Your Building?

Do your employees complain about decreasing health and comfort issues at work? Do all these complaints sound the same? Sick employees can cost businesses a lot of money so perhaps you should consider looking into what is making employees sick. It might just be your building.

Sick Building Syndrome is said to exist when at least 20% of employees experience symptoms that go away when they are not at work.

Symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome:

Lethargy, headache, or difficulty concentrating

Throat tightness or soreness

Nasal congestion

Itchy, irritated, watery, or dry eyes

Acute discomfort (nausea/dizziness) when they are at work

Dry skin that’s itchy or shows signs of unexplained rashes

What Causes Sick Building Syndrome?

Humidity, temperature, mold, building ventilation, and sealed windows could all be factors in employees feeling sick at work. Today, indoor air quality (IAQ) has become a key issue in buildings due to:

Fiberglass break down in ducts

Increase in the number of building occupants and time spent indoors

Contamination by construction materials, chemicals, paints, particle boards, glues, etc.

Improperly or inadequately maintained HVAC systems

Sealed windows that reduce airflow

Correcting Sick Building Syndrome

The following is a quick list of actions to consider for dealing with sick building syndrome. It is the responsibility of employers to ensure employees are safe and that their work surroundings aren’t the cause of any health issues.

Hire a mold inspector to ensure that there isn’t a problem hiding anywhere in the walls or ventilation system.

Review the lighting in your building. Flickering fluorescent lighting can cause headaches and a general low comfort level at work.

Hire a reputable cleaning company that uses green cleaning products thus reducing VOCs in the building.

Evaluate the HVAC system to ensure there’s adequate airflow and review the current VOC levels in the workplace from paints, carpets, and adhesives used throughout the building. Outdoor pollutants could also be getting in when they shouldn’t such as air pollutants from industrial plants and car exhaust systems.

For all your commercial building management and consulting needs, you need to contact the professionals at Excel Projects today. We are happy to ensure that your commercial building is healthy, safe, and attractive.