Sick building syndrome (SBS) is a disease that affects hundreds of office workers every year, although it has not been diagnosed for many.
SBS is a major cause of absenteeism, which, in the case of low productivity and unhealthy workers, can bring serious costs to the enterprise.
Headaches, nausea, and difficulty breathing are symptoms of SBS and are often mistaken for other diseases.
But what does it all have to do with heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)?
SBS may be caused by multiple factors, one of which is poor air quality.
The hot, polluted air circulating around the building is not good for anyone, and it can cause great damage for a long time.
If your HVAC system is improperly installed or has poor performance, it may do more harm than good.
Prevention of SBS should be a top priority and much easier than you think.
The common SBS causes and how to treat each are listed below. 1.
Unqualified ventilation air conditioning should keep the office cool and well ventilated, but poor maintenance may be the main reason for SBS.
If your air conditioning is not performing well, then you can also expect your staff to perform poorly.
Knowing where to look for a fault and how to fix it can be a great help to correct the problem.
Air conditioning failure causes SBS in one of two ways: poor design or air conditioning pipe contamination.
First of all, air conditioners that do not optimize the flow of air can actually make the air sour.
Then, contaminants such as dust and fibers collected in the pipes exacerbated the situation and distributed throughout the office.
Make sure that your air conditioner regularly maintains and removes these contaminants to help prevent the impact of SBS. 2.
Of course, HVAC is not just for ventilation.
There is also the heating part of something that needs to be adjusted and maintained.
Studies have shown that offices where staff are unable to control heat and humidity settings are more risky than offices that allow SBS.
When employees are unable to adjust room temperature, their work efficiency is affected.
This may lead to SBS-related physical symptoms over time.
An HVAC system that enables user regulation is a simple solution to the humidity problem, and the building maintenance team should keep this in mind when installing any unit.
Keep the humidity at 40-
70% the efficiency of the workers will be ensured not to be affected and the humidifying equipment will be inspected and cleaned regularly. 3.
The accumulation of chemical pollutants dust is only a pollutant to be treated.
Chemical contaminants can usually enter ventilation pipes from inside or outside the office.
Furniture that exudes the smell of a \"new building\" is actually releasing harmful chemicals into the air.
If these things are not filtered out by the ventilation of the building, they can start to circulate in the office, stimulating the worker\'s lungs and throat.
Cleaning products have similar effects as cigarette smoke and need to be eliminated.
Storing harmful substances away from residential areas is the beginning, but again, the problem often comes down to poor ventilation.
Checking all possible weaknesses of the HVAC system and replacing the air filter regularly can alleviate the problem.
Be sure to figure out if there are any construction sites or busy roads nearby that can cause pollution as increasing air supply rates can lead to more pollution. 4.
In addition to the ventilation problem, there are some maintenance problems that will aggravate SBS.
Poor quality lighting is one of the problems that need to be sorted in order to improve the conditions.
Employees who are forced to work in the absence of light find it difficult to concentrate and therefore lag behind work due to stress and stress.
If the HVAC system is running smoothly, it may be the answer to check if there is a problem with the fixture.
Perform a thorough scan of all accessories to determine if they can work more efficiently and replace any faulty accessories immediately. 5.
Uncomfortable office equipment itself, uncomfortable office furniture does not seem to be enough to guarantee the label \"disease \".
But, coupled with the above, it will certainly exacerbate the existing situation.
Chairs and desks that limit natural movement can cause pain, while displays with poor location can cause further pressure.
Ergonomic thinking can reduce the chance of these symptoms occurring.
Furniture designed to ease tensions rather than increase them helps to ease SBS.
Without worrying about one thing, it is unlikely that employees will see a decline in productivity.
If all aspects of the workplace are adequately maintained, the reported cases of SBS will begin to decrease soon.
About the Author: Tony Ellerker has worked in the construction services and construction industry for more than 20 years.
He is currently a director of Blakes M & E Building Services, providing pre-
Planned maintenance, response repair and installation of all mechanical and electrical systems in London and the South East.
