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After I worked in an office building for about six months, I began experiencing a number of ailments that I've never had before. It seemed like every month or so, I had to take sick days because of some mysterious illness that kept debilitating me. I was not the only one, so I knew it wasn't in my head. Many of my co-workers regularly suffered from a number of ailments. One of my co-workers, in particular, would become so ill that she would be out for weeks at a time. Strangely, after we both stopped working in the building, the sudden illnesses seemed to disappear as quickly as they manifested themselves. It seems like we may have been victims of sick building syndrome. But, what is sick building syndrome?

Sick building syndrome (SBS) is not some illness made up by people who don't want to work. SBS occurs when occupants of a building or particular area of a building experience severe health problems that directly correlates to the hours they spend in the building. Usually, problems occur in buildings that are being used for purposes that contradict with what they were originally designed to do. Thus, it is common in older buildings that have been converted into office complexes. It can also be the result of poor circulation in the building.

People who suffer for SBS complain from a laundry list of ailments. These include headaches, irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, coughing, itchy skin, nausea, fatigue, lack of concentration and odor sensitivity. It's hard to narrow them down since these same ailments are symptoms of other illnesses. Because contaminates linger inside the buildings, productivity is reduced due to frequent absences. Miraculously, people get better after leaving the building, even within the same day.

There are a number of theories as to what causes SBS. One possible cause of sick building syndrome is chemical contaminants from outdoors, such as exhausts and other pollutants entering buildings through open vents. Chemical contaminants can also come from within the building, such as in industrial cleaning products used inside, in carpets and upholsteries and their adhesives, and treated wood products. Tobacco smoke and combustibles are also cited as causes. Some building may have mold spores and other bacterial impurities floating in the air.

The final cause of SBS could be the way newer buildings are designed. Older buildings sometimes have ventilation, thus air is circulated throughout the building. However, new buildings are designed with material that insulates the structures, tightly sealing off any holes in the walls of the building. Because the buildings have no ventilation, indoor air continually spins around. This can cause indoor workers to get sick on a regular basis.

If companies notice that their employees are getting sick all of the time, they may want to make sure that the building is not the cause. They can do this by making sure the building is up to the standards of the local department of environmental quality. They should consider reducing the use of products that contain chemicals and opt for green products. It is also a good idea, if possible, to open windows during the day to allow circulation. By doing these things, productivity and absences could be reduced.

Learn more about this author, Cicely Richard.
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