Sick Building Syndrome

Almost everyone occasionally suffers common symptoms such as headaches, dry throat or sore eyes. But there are occasions when people in particular buildings experience these sorts of symptoms more often than is usual. Symptoms tend to increase in severity with the time spent in the building and improve over time, or disappear when the person is away from the building. This is often described as Sick Building Syndrome (SBS).

According to the NHS, Sick Building Syndrome is a phenomenon where workers in particular office environments complain that they are experiencing a range of non-specific symptoms. These may include:

Headaches.
Fatigue.
Loss of concentration.
Eye and throat irritation.
Shortness of breath.
Skin rash.
Dry skin.
Itchy skin.

Symptoms are generally mild, although they may affect personal performance and motivation, sometimes significantly. Sick Building Syndrome is not a recognised illness that can be diagnosed precisely.

The symptoms usually resolve once the person who is experiencing them has left the building. Women are more likely to be affected by the symptoms of sick building syndrome than men.

There are many potential causes of Sick Building Syndrome, but in our experience the cause is frequently pinned down to physical or environmental factors such as flaws in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, including the build up of biological contamination, including bacteria and mould.

Other causative effects may include:

Job factors, e.g.the variety and interest of particular jobs; people’s ability to control certain aspects of work and their working environment.

Factors may include:

Building and office design

open plan offices with more than about 10 workstations;
large areas of soft furnishing, open shelving, filing;
new carpets or furniture and freshly painted surfaces.

Building services and maintenance

air conditioning;
lighting (glare and flicker in particular);
low level of user control;
poor design and maintenance/repair;
insufficient or badly organised cleaning.

Indoor environment and air quality

high temperatures and excessive variations (e.g. draughts);
very low or high humidity;
chemical pollutants (e.g. ozone; tobacco smoke);
dust/fibres in the atmosphere;
noise.

Job factors

routine clerical work
work with display screen equipment

PREVENTING SICK BUILDING SYNDROME

Due to the causes of SBS being complex and largely unknown, it is not possible to identify generally applicable measures that might be taken which will prevent, eliminate or reduce SBS. What may work in one building may not work in another.

Investigations will be most cost-effective however if it is determined whether the symptoms are local to a part of a building or widespread and if checks start with the most likely sources of the problem.

Staff should be involved at an early stage. Procedures and working practices should be checked to ensure the proper operation and maintenance of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. The general cleanliness of the interior of the building and furnishings should also be assessed.

Booklet HS(G)132 - How to deal with Sick Building Syndrome provides detailed advice on minimising risk in the main problem areas associated with SBS.

If, in spite of all your efforts, symptoms persist, you may need to call in expert professional advice from the following:

building service engineers
occupational health practitioners
occupational hygienists
ergonomists
management specialists

To be cost effective, remedial action will need to strike a balance between the cost of any change and the effect the change is likely to have in reducing symptoms.

STRAIGHTFORWARD ACTIONS WHICH CAN BE CARRIED OUT AT REASONABLE COST AND EFFORT SHOULD BE GIVEN PRIORITY.

CHECKLIST - SICK BUILDING SYNDROME

1. Do you ensure that the following factors are considered when creating and maintaining a good work environment:

air quality (including ventilation, outdoor air supply and air movement)

YES / NO

temperature (approximately 19-20ºC in offices)

YES / NO

humidity (40-70%)

YES / NO

lighting

YES / NO

noise (minimise intensity)

YES / NO

new office equipment and furnishings

YES / NO

maintenance of the building and buildingservices systems

YES / NO

cleaning

YES / NO

job factors (management systems and work organisation)

YES / NO

2. If SBS is suspected in your premises, would you follow a step-by-step approach to investigation?

Look for the obvious (e.g. local ‘flu epidemic)

YES / NO

Check the symptoms (e.g. review staff sickness absence records)

YES / NO

Involve the staff (e.g. canvass their views)

YES / NO

Check procedures and working practices

YES / NO

REFERENCES/FURTHER DETAILS

Booklet HS(G)132 - How to deal with Sick Building Syndrome. Guidance for employers, building owners and building managers (HSE) ISBN 0-7176-0861-1.

HELA Circular LAC 75/1 - Sick Building Syndrome. www.hse.gov.uk/lau/lacs/75-1.htm

Links:

HELA Circular LAC 75/1 - Sick Building Syndrome. www.hse.gov.uk/lau/lacs/75-1.htm

For advice on preventing sick building syndrome please ring us on 0870 6092080 or click here to email us.