Symptoms of 'Sick Building Syndrome'

Whether you work in a new office building or an old vocational school you could be working in a building that has "sick building syndrome."

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, sick building syndrome describes buildings in which "occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in the building."

As some AFT members know, however, if the causes of sick building syndrome are not corrected, the health affects can follow them home.
(Visit www.aft.org/pubs-reports/
pe_advocate/silentstalker.)

"What You Should Know about Indoor Air Quality," produced by the AFT’s Health and Safety Program, is available at the AFT Web site at www.aft.org/topics/health-safety/.

In most cases, indoor air pollution is often the culprit.

Inadequate ventilation: Since 1973, owners of commercial buildings with heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems have reduced the amount of outdoor (fresh) air mixed into the circulation systems to save energy. The most immediate effect is that the level of carbon dioxide rises. High carbon dioxide levels are a sure indicator of the lack of fresh air and the possible presence of other contaminants.

Indoor air pollutants: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) may be emitted by any number of building materials, furnishings and equipment, ranging from carpeting to copy machines.

Outdoor sources: Indoor air can be contaminated by sources outside the building, particularly if outside air intake vents are improperly situated in close proximity to loading docks, plumbing vents or the building’s exhaust.

Biological contamination: Bacteria, molds, pollen and viruses can be a troubling, and often evasive, source of contamination. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems are often the culprit, but small leaks in pipes and roofs can result in breeding grounds for the accumulated water behind walls or in ceiling tiles.