Sick Building Syndrome

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) is a medical phenomenon whereby the occupants of a building develop acute health and comfort problems that have no apparent cause, but can be linked to the time spent in a particular building, or area of a building. A 1984 World Health Organisation report into the syndrome suggested up to 30% of new and remodelled buildings worldwide may be subject to SBS. Although the conditions may be temporary, some buildings may suffer long term effects.

Symptoms of SBS

Building occupants complain of symptoms associated with acute discomfort, e.g., headache; eye, nose, or throat irritation; dry cough; dry or itchy skin; dizziness and nausea; difficulty in concentrating; fatigue; and sensitivity to odours.
The cause of the symptoms is not known.
Most of the occupants report relief soon after leaving the building.

Causes of SBS

Inadequate ventilation.
Poor ergonomics.
Chemical contamination.
Biological contamination.
Too many electrical devices close to working spaces.

es:S�ndrome del edificio enfermo

Retrieved from "http://www.mywiseowl.com/articles/Sick_Building_Syndrome"

This page has been accessed 39 times. This page was last modified 10:43, 16 May 2004. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License (see Copyrights for details).