Does it often hurt? Maybe your office building is the cause

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Luxurious and magnificent buildings with adequate infrastructure, as well as air conditions in a regulated room as comfortable as possible are often considered ideal places to work. But ironically, it is precisely in places like this that the health of most employees is often disrupted.

What caused it?

You are sick, because your office building is "sick"

Pain building syndrome, aka sick building syndrome (SBS), is a non-medical term used to describe a series of symptoms shown by occupants of a building, allegedly related to long-term exposure to a mixture of unknown chemical, physical or biological agents. in the building. In most cases, SBS occurs in office buildings, although it can also occur in other public buildings, such as schools, hospitals, and apartments. Complaints mainly occur more frequently in new buildings, which are energy efficient where the windows are always tightly closed and are limited to the supply of fresh air.

Employees who work in high-risk environments, especially in parking garages or dock loading and unloading, may breathe more carbon monoxide brought into the building through air vents, fresh air lines should enter. If smokers chat outdoors right next to the air intake vents, it is still possible for workers in the building to "get" inhaling cigarette smoke through the ventilation system. Printers and fax machines emit ozone, like photocopiers, and often in closed spaces - which can mix with other organic chemicals at work.

Pest control spraying pesticides that may stick to the carpet for a long time. Floor and glass cleaning products that are sprayed at night add to the "hodgepodge" fill in the vapors of chemicals and and airborne allergens and pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, spores and protozoa trapped in the room. Turnstiles suck car exhaust and cigarette smoke from people smoking outside; renovation efforts to pass construction dust, paint vapors and toxic gas vapors from new carpets. If you are like most office workers, you cannot open windows because office windows are generally designed to be sealed. The possibility of experiencing SBS can be even higher if you work in a routine job that involves using a monitor screen.

And even if the air in your room is not polluted, you might not get enough fresh air. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers, reported from Health Day, recommends a room ventilation system to pump up to 570 liters of fresh air per minute for everyone in the office. In many cases, unfortunately, building operators only pump 140 liters of fresh air per minute - eleven-twelve with space in long-distance aircraft. The difference is that long-haul flights only last a few hours and the air quality is more controlled, while you may spend up to 10 hours a day trapped in the workplace breathing bad air.

Signs and symptoms of sick building syndrome

Signs and symptoms of sick building syndrome (SBS) are, but are not limited to, the following:

Headache, dizziness
Nausea
Diarrhea, or constipation
Hoarseness or cough
Bloated
Dispose of wind or belching constantly
Chronic fatigue
Tremor
Muscle discomfort (stiff muscles, muscle aches, cramps, aches)
Nasal irritation (stuffy nose, sneezing, runny nose, nosebleeds)
Sensitivity to odor
Eye irritation (itchy, red, runny eyes)
Skin irritation (redness, itching, dryness, allergic reactions)
Flu symptoms (fever, fever, colds)
Increased incidence of asthma attacks
Sore throat
Foot / calf / ankle swelling
Chest pain, shortness of breath
Cardiac arrhythmias (heart beat or rhythm disturbances; beating faster or slower, irregular)
Mental changes (problems of concentration, memory, mood, irritability)

Symptoms of SBS can occur separately or come in a combination of one and the other, and may vary from day to day. Different individuals may experience different symptoms, depending on their respective medical conditions. Symptoms usually improve or disappear completely once you get out of the building (during lunch, for example) and often return as soon as you re-enter the building.

For many doctors and researchers, a number of the above symptoms are not sufficient and appropriate to create a new medical syndrome. They argue that this series of symptoms is often part of the symptoms of other medical conditions that can be diagnosed.

Overcoming "not feeling well" due to sick building syndrome

Feeling sick or "not feeling well", plus when the resistance of the people in it is decreasing, increases the number of absences and causes a decrease in employee productivity.

No specific treatment is proven for sick building syndrome. However, there are a number of steps you can take at work to help prevent symptoms of SBS, for example:

Some doctors report a reduction in nonspecific symptoms by prescribing antidepressants or drugs for anxiety, or drugs to help you sleep better. In addition, symptomatic treatment, while not specifically treating unknown causes of SBS, can help reduce or manage symptoms (for example, non-prescription drugs for nausea or headaches).
Regular breaks from constantly staring at the screen, once every five to 10 minutes (if you use a computer) for every hour you spend sitting at a table.
Set and prioritize your workload to help prevent stress.
Go outside to look for fresh air and try to have lunch outside and take a moment to take a walk before returning.
Make sure you eat healthy and exercise regularly to help maintain energy levels stay optimal and good posture at work.
If you have to smoke, do it outside and away from the air drain, and obey your company's smoking policy.
If possible, treat anti-pollution plants in your office - as long as you don't water them frequently to avoid forming moss.
Dispose of waste immediately to prevent odor and biological contamination.

What can employees do if the work environment is bad?

If you suspect your work environment is making you sick, talk to your colleagues to see if they have the same symptoms.

If SBS seems to be a problem at work, you should discuss it with your boss. They will be able to investigate the matter further with the help of representatives of the local health and safety organization. Take proof of the ceiling that is moldy, leaky, and changes color, for example, or furniture that is not suitable for use. Ask to record conversations with company personnel about this issue. Enter your complaint in writing. Say you know that your boss cares about his employees and their productivity.

The company where you work has an obligation to care and investigate the problem. For further advice, your supervisor must have access to occupational health services.

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