Acute Illness Hitting Offices Sick Building Syndrome' Baffles EPA And Docs

It may surprise you how many different ways you put your health on the line, just by going to work. If you have a desk job, you may be exposing yourself to germs, allergens and toxins. And if yours is in the laboratory, fighting crime, on the road or working with your hands, you may be putting yourself at risk for being the victim of a violent crime or even developing occupational cancer. Plus, no matter what your job, how often you work and who you work with can have major repercussions on your health.

Poor Indoor Air Quality

Many buildings operate as self-contained environments, so the first place of safety interest in terms of toxin exposure is ventilation, says Rodney R. Dietert, professor of Immunotoxicology at Cornell University. Air systems have the potential to circulate toxins and allergens -- including molds, dust, pollen, tobacco smoke and exhaust -- into the office space, according to Dr. Dietert. If the air is cycled at an insufficient rate, any toxins or bacteria and viruses produced inside the building are more likely to concentrate, increasing exposure of the employees. This produces a situation similar to traveling across the country in an airplane -- an environment notorious for producing colds and the flu, he explains. Dr. Dietert says this is a common occurrence, also known as "sick building syndrome."

Sick Building Syndrome

The term "sick building syndrome" is when office occupants experience acute health and comfort effects, including sore eyes and throats, headaches, tiredness, asthma, coughing and dizziness, that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified, according to the EPA. Some have attributed it to ozone, given off by office equipment such as computers and printers. Working in a building with poor circulation can be analogous to working in a day care center with a high density of children -- infections may be passed around and those with a weakened immune system will never miss getting them, explains Dr. Dietert.

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