Sick Building Syndrome

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Does Sick Building Syndrome Exist?

Author: Ray Toofan

One of the main causes of illness in the workforce today is known as sick building syndrome and it is responsible for thousands of days off work sick each year. Sick building syndrome is not a problem that is just confined to the United States, it is beginning to be recognized all over the world as more and more people are feeling the effects of being in a poorly ventilated building.

Some of the symptoms of sick building syndrome are: indoor allergies, itchy eyes and nose, runny nose, sore throat, headaches, blurred vision, nausea, dizziness, fatigue and difficulty when concentrating for any period of time. Some people believe that these symptoms are purely psychological however if you are suffering like this you will argue that it is very real. Imagine what it would feel like to start to feel ill within minutes of entering your place of work each day and find that you get worse as the day progresses.

Experts have put forward different reasons for this sick building syndrome from outside influences such as person's general health or family life, an illness epidemic and other viral infections. However these do not take into account the fact that more and more people are falling ill and all have one thing in common - they all work in the same building.

Such buildings that seem to have high levels of sickness related to sick building syndrome tend to have poorly maintained ventilation and heating systems which many people blame for their illness. This theory can be supported by the fact that the majority of people who claim to have sick building syndrome are often in good health when they away from the building and only become ill again their return.

If poorly maintained ventilation systems are to blame for these illnesses then it is important that something is done about them. Dirty ventilation systems can be the cause of many different types of illness as mold spores can grow and multiply and they are then blown through air ducts right to where people are working. This then results in them being ill as the air that they are breathing is not fresh and purified. Mold spores are not just to blame, if rodents get into the air ducts they can cause problems as can a build up of general dirt and debris, so they should be cleaned regularly.

So really it would be fair to say that sick building syndrome does exist but only where there are dirty ventilation systems that are not kept up to standard. If you suspect the air ducts and ventilation system in a building are dirty is it important that it is brought to the attention of someone who is responsible for them. Your local HVAC technician can provide a comprehensive maintenance service that will ensure that ventilation systems are kept clean and running efficiently, reducing the number of sick days and keeping staff healthy. If this sounds like something that your business could use, contact your local HVAC technician to help you improve your air quality.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/does-sick-building-syndrome-exist-467327.html

About the Author

Giant Mechanical is a leading Chicago area company that provides Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, and a variety of other services. Find out how Giant Mechanical can help you with your commercial, residential, or institutional needs by visiting http://www.giantmechanical.com.

7 Simple Solutions to Indoor Air Pollution

Author: Eddie Hudd

Unbelievably, the air within modern homes can be upwards of five times more polluted than outdoor air. When you also consider that we can spend up to ninety percent of our lives indoors, the term sick building syndrome should require little explanation. Outside air, unlike inside, is recycled repeatedly with pollutants such as tobacco smoke, pollen, mold, dust and pet dander all adding towards asthma and allergies.

There are various symptoms associated with so called sick building syndrome including sinus congestion, watery or itchy eyes, headaches, lethargy, lack of concentration and nausea. However, because several of these symptoms are similar to those of a common cold, it is not always easy to ascertain if indoor pollution is the cause or if it is because of some form of virus.

If you find that, the symptoms fade when you outside, you should try to discover inside air sources, which might be possible causes and endeavour to get rid of them. As luck would have it, indoor air pollution is one health hazard that you can do something about.

Here are seven easy measures you can take to improve the air quality in your home.

1. Banish Smoking Inside the Home

Ideally, you should ban smoking anywhere inside the home but if this is not possible, try to confine it to one place. In our case, if friends or family, who are also smokers, visit, they are either banished to the back yard or the kitchen area. If you have an extractor fan installed in the kitchen, make sure that it is turned on and try to have smokers stand reasonably close to the fan so that the fumes are sucked out.

2. Open Your Windows Once In a While

If it is not freezing cold or blowing a gale outside, let some outdoor air in by opening your windows and doors every now and then. Doing so will also remove some of the pollutants that have built up within your house.

3. Chuck out Those Chemical Cleaners

If you have ever taken the time to study the labels on household cleaning products, most of them will include a warning about how harmful the chemicals are for your health or skin. Every time you use that product, fumes from whatever is in the bottle are released into the air for you to inhale. I have quite often started coughing after spraying counter tops with so called anti-bacterial cleaner. Not any longer though, as my natural housecleaning products of choice are now baking soda, washing soda, vinegar and pure lemon juice. These are all non-toxic, environmentally friendly and can tackle the majority of cleaning chores, either separately or combined with one another.

4. Clean and Dust Your Home on a Regular Basis

Although it might seem obvious to some folks, regularly vacuuming your carpets and flooring can go a long way in controlling airborne allergens and dust. It is claimed that some 70% of all household dust is composed of dead skin, which we humans shed day in and day out. Dust mites in turn feed upon the dead skin that falls from our bodies. They then grow and shed their own skin and it is this together with their faeces that cause allergic reactions in people.

5. Pet Dander Triggers Allergies

If you have a family pet, they will shed dander that can trigger allergies and asthma. Something needs to be done if you suspect that either you or another household member is allergic to pet dander. Ideally, it is best to keep pets out of the house altogether although that is seldom possible. As a viable alternative, try to restrict the rooms that the pet is allowed into. One definite area to keep them out of is the bedroom.

6. Reduce Indoors Air Humidity

If the climate where you live is either very humid or just plain damp (as in too much rainfall), you will no doubt be aware of just how much moisture levels within your house can increase. This excessive moisture or humidness is the ideal breeding conditions for mold. For anyone with allergies, mold spores can cause as many health problems as airborne dust. Dehumidifiers can be a godsend in a humid environment since they are capable of removing excess dampness from the surrounding air; thereby keeping mold and the resulting spores at bay.

7. Get an Indoor Air Purifier

Home air purifiers or room air cleaners do as their name suggests and clean the air of pollutants and allergens such as mold spores, pollen, cigarette smoke and pet dander. Besides being used to reduce the concentration of these airborne contaminants, they are especially useful for people who suffer from allergies and asthma attacks. Air purifiers and room air cleaners are quickly increasing in popularity because they make indoor air healthier and cleaner.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/7-simple-solutions-to-indoor-air-pollution-488880.html

About the Author

To learn much more about the different types of Air Purifier for Allergy Relief, visit Home Air Purifier Systems where you will find this and much more including How to Eliminate House Odor with an air purifier

Ozone Free Air Purifiers

Author: EnviroCitizen

Ozone Free Air Purifiers      We all know that ozone is what helps protect the Earth from Ultra Violet rays, but not all of us know that ozone can actually be toxic when it's in the wrong place.

     Air purifiers are often actually ozone machines. These devices are not always safe and effective in controlling indoor air pollution. Health professionals, such as the American Lung Association, http://www.lungusa.org/ have alerted us to the danger. In particular, these devices have not been approved by the federal government for use in constantly occupied spaces.

     Ozone can be harmful when it's used in air purifiers. Its chemical properties make it react with organic materials found in our body, and potentially cause harmful health consequences. When inhaled, ozone can damage the lungs. Healthy people, as well as those with respiratory difficulty, can experience breathing problems when exposed to ozone. Exercise during exposure to ozone causes a greater amount of ozone to be inhaled, and increases the risk of harmful respiratory effects. Recovery from the harmful effects can occur following short-term exposure, but health effects may become more pronounced, and recovery less certain, at higher levels or from longer exposures. Ozone devices often use confusing terms to describe ozone. Terms such as "energized oxygen" or "pure air" suggest that ozone is a healthy kind of oxygen. Ozone is a toxic gas with vastly different chemical and toxicological properties from oxygen. Several federal agencies have established health standards or recommendations to limit human exposure to ozone.

     It is good to know that there are now air purifiers that are safe because they don't generate ozone. Negative ion generators are becoming popular. Interestingly, there is research that suggests that these machines may aid in the prevention of depression. Negative ion generators make hydroxyl ions, which are negatively charged combinations of hydrogen and oxygen. So far they have proven to be a good, safe alternative to ozone producing purifiers. Plants are another good air purifier. NASA has conducted several studies that prove houseplants to be very effective at cleaning the air because they take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. They also cost much less than sophisticated equipment. For those who have allergies or experience "sick building syndrome", it is good to know that there are eco-friendly options out there to clean indoor air.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/science-articles/ozone-free-air-purifiers-3506050.html

About the Author

Envirocitizen.org is a comprehensive ecommerce website that combines robust commerce, content, and community.  We believe that we have created the most comprehensive site to date to make eco-friendly products, services, and information available to individuals who wish to live a green, more eco-friendly lifestyle.  Our site offers a very broad and diverse array of eco-friendly products as well as comprehensive, authoritative information and environmental education.  Additionally, users can enjoy the sense of community created by participating in our Forum.

Understanding No VOC Paint Solutions

Author: Audrey Smith

So I have been hearing a lot about VOCs recently. And not one to shy away from a perfectly confusing acronym, I have been looking into this one and trying to figure out if it warrants all the attention that it's getting. And guess what? It does. Apparently VOCs are volatile organic compounds--you preferred the acronym, didn't you? VOCs can occur naturally--trees and cows are huge contributors of VOCs--but the ones that occur naturally can be handled naturally. Funny, isn't it? Where we get into trouble is when the VOC count gets way too high and when it's in your home.

Too many VOCs deplete the ozone layer and help create smog and other environmental dangers. Most problematic is when they are in your home where they can adversely affect your family and pets. Low air quality--the EPA says that indoor air can be up to 9 times worse for you than outside--is the main contributor to Sick Building Syndrome. Illnesses such as throat, nose and eye irritations, and even cancer are the results of Sick Building Syndrome and have been linked to VOC and toxins.

So what things contribute to low indoor air quality and what are the alternatives? Paints are one of the huge offenders. Paints and all things to do with paints such as thinners, varnishes and coatings, contain solvents. These solvents house VOCs and other toxins. Remember that new paint smell? Well, those are actually the toxins and VOCs releasing into the air and reducing the quality of your air. The Paint Quality Institute has estimated that the VOCs in traditional paints make up to 10 percent of ozone depleting substances in the United States.

In the last few years paint manufactures have become sensitive to the impact of their products on the health of the consumer and the environment. In an effort to become greener, paint manufacturers have begun work to remove some of the toxic ingredients in their traditional paints to create no VOC paints or low odor paints. Many of these manufacturers are simply creating paint as they are used to doing and then removing the toxins. This is great, but it often creates a less than brilliant product--so we are back to the old problem of do I choose a product that is good for me or is just a good product.

Fortunately, technology is beginning to catch up, and a few manufacturers are creating great paint that is not only super on the walls, but also safe for your family and the planet. A renewed interest in child safe paint (paint that doesn't contain fumes that will damage your kids basically) has resulted in completely revolutionized products that outperform toxic paints in durability, coverage and can come in any color. So, now you don't have to sacrifice performance for health. So, when you're ready to add a splash of something wonderful to your walls do some double-checking. Make sure that it is a no voc, low odor paint, and keep the great stuff on your walls and the toxins out of your home.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/understanding-no-voc-paint-solutions-502369.html

About the Author
Audrey Smith is a family safety advocate with a passion for no VOC paint. She is also educates the public about child safe paints and low odor paints.

Understanding Sick Building Syndrome And VOC Paint

Author: Delilah Jones

Does going to work make you sick? Not the Monday morning "I-don't-wanna-gooooo", or the Friday afternoon "Is-it-the-weekend-yet?" kind of sick, but actually sick? Symptoms such as headache, eye, nose or throat irritation, dry cough, dizziness, nausea, or fatigue might signal that your office has Sick Building Syndrome.

Sounds funny, but Sick Building Syndrome is no laughing matter. It's recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency and is described as a situation in which building occupants suffer discomfort (headache, eye, nose or throat irritation, dry cough, dizziness and nausea, fatigue, sensitivity to odors, difficulty concentrating) from being in the building that can't be linked to any other causes or specific illnesses. Ultimately, Sick Building Syndrome means that the air quality in your building is so poor; it's making you sick.

The causes of Sick Building Syndrome are fairly simple. Chemicals in the building contaminate the air; without proper ventilation, they can't escape. The big question here is just how do these chemicals get into the buildings in the first place?

The chemicals that are most likely causing office workers distress are commonly known as VOCs, which stands for volatile organic compounds. VOCs can be emitted as a gas from certain liquids or solid products, and can include a large variety of different chemicals. In particular, VOCs are known to be found in paint, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, building materials, copiers and printers, glues and adhesives, and permanent markers. Carpets are also a huge contributor to low air quality indoors - don't you remember rolling on the brand new carpet as a kid breathing in that lovely new smell. Mmmmm well, let's not do that anymore. Mold, which can be hidden in the walls and ventilation, is also be a culprit. VOCs, as greenhouse gasses, also contribute to global warming.

All of these products have something in common aside from their heightened levels of VOCs: a strong odor. For example, the smell from the painting going on in the office down the hall might come to mind. That's a sign that you're being flooded with VOC exposure right now! In fact, the EPA estimates that levels of VOCs found indoors can be up to ten times higher than those found outside.

If you think you're suffering from Sick Building Syndrome, do what you can to provide yourself with better ventilation by moving near a window, bringing a fan to the office, and taking frequent breaks to get outside. Don't hesitate to alert the management of your situation, and ask if any changes can be made to the ventilation system.

As far as reducing the levels of VOCs inside offices or homes, be sure to search out a non toxic paint with zero VOCs. These do exist and are priced similar to other traditional premium paints. You'll immediately notice that these are low odor paints. In a work situation, low odor paint and zero VOC paint will not only be less distracting to current workers, but will also not harm the health of future workers. If you're painting a new wall, zero VOC paints are the safest for people (as well as for pets and the environment), and are much less likely to result in Sick Building Syndrome.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/understanding-sick-building-syndrome-and-voc-paint-501133.html

About the Author
Delilah Jones has a passion for zero VOC paint and its impact to consumer safety. She is also interested in how a 100 percent non toxic paint and low odor paint can correlate.
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