Sick Building Syndrome Prevention, Diagnosis, and Examples

Sick Building Syndrome Prevention, Diagnosis, and Examples

Did you know that your building’s indoor environment can produce harmful, persistent symptoms in its occupants? Poor indoor air quality can lead to sick building syndrome, which is usually the cause of a range of acute symptoms, such as throat irritation, allergic reactions, chest tightness, skin symptoms, and more.

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) Definition

Sick building syndrome, or SBS, is a condition where a significant number of building occupants report nonspecific symptoms, allergic reactions, and other health problems. SBS can affect any enclosed space, including office buildings, work environments, and home environments. Caused by poor indoor air quality, SBS is the result of a number of factors, such as poor ventilation, high levels of carbon monoxide, unsafe cleaning agents, and dangerous building materials.

While there is no cure for SBS, symptoms can be alleviated by improving your building’s indoor air quality. Potential solutions and preventive measures include:

  • Addressing inadequate ventilation
  • Cleaning HVAC system air filters
  • Control moisture to avoid indoor mold
  • Increasing the flow of fresh air
  • Reducing chemical contaminants

Sick Building Syndrome Symptoms

Often the result of indoor air pollution, sick building symptoms don’t mimic the symptoms of any specific illness or infectious disease. Instead, patient symptoms due to prolonged exposure can manifest in a number of ways, including:

  • Eye, nose, or skin irritation
  • Breathing difficulties or cough
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Headaches or migraines
  • Fatigue or low energy output
  • Dizziness or nausea

Worried About Building-Related Illness?

According to a recent study, it’s estimated that as many as 1.2 million commercial buildings may exhibit signs of sick building syndrome. If you believe that your particular building may be one of these, it’s essential that you take steps to improve its indoor environmental quality. Whether you are reducing biological contaminants, improving your air conditioning system’s ventilation rates, or identifying indoor pollutants, BDN Industrial Hygiene can perform an appropriate investigation to narrow down the exact cause.

Since 1980, our experienced team has worked with building owners to improve the occupational safety of their spaces. Utilizing our specialized equipment, we can assess your building’s health to determine potential problems. Once we’ve identified issues, we can work to address poor air quality, indoor mold, and other possible risk factors to ensure occupants are healthy, happy, and safe.