The Sick Building Syndrome

Abstract

Indoor air pollution is closely associated with health problems and exacerbation of asthmatic symptoms. However, it is difficult to find objective data regarding the nature of these illnesses and the degree of exposure necessary to elicit symptoms in building occupants. Clinicians must be encouraged to take seriously, and without bias, workers' complaints about their work environment. However, this is often a problem because of subjective complaints, potential malingerers, mass hysteria, and lack of impartial clinical and laboratory findings. Clearly, in any building, a major priority must be to provide and maintain an environment conducive to occupant health and well-being. Allowable levels of air pollutants must be scientifically determined by health investigators based on government regulations. Unfortunately, regulations are often ill defined, unenforceable, and burdened by a void as to who is responsible for achieving a healthful indoor environment. The elucidation of the multiple causes of illnesses secondary to indoor air pollution can be addressed by greater attention to design, construction, and operation of buildings where people live and work. Finally and most important, the federal government should bear the responsibility for funding the necessary research to solve the nation's indoor air quality problems.

Indoor Air Quality and Human Health: Truth vs Mass Hysteria

“…The ability to build structures that are increasingly focused on occupant comfort and luxury, along with the emphasis toward conservation of energy, has led to the construction of airtight buildings with few operable windows and minimal airflow. Installation of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to generate a comfortable environment has also led to an additional source for airborne allergenic particles (4). Condensation is a byproduct of operating HVAC systems, thus allowing for mold growth and generating an additional source of allergens.…”

“…Although indoor air quality has been a compelling environmental issue in the past two decades, a huge gap still exists in our knowledge regarding the extent of adverse effects on human health for many of the known components of indoor air. Therefore, exposure standards have been difficult to establish, and the regulation of indoor air and building components has been fraught with confusion and inaccuracies (4). The past issues played out in courtrooms and the media first concerning SBS and then mold toxicosis has clearly placed a blemish on the science of indoor air.…”

Risk Perception and Environmental Risks Management in Environment and Health Protection Context

“…A person in the mob then is capable of acts they would otherwise never have committed as an individual on their own. The cases of mass psychoses are well known from many literary descriptions of "mass hysteria" in real or supposed exposure to toxic substances, or in health problems and symptoms connected with the indoor environment (sick building syndrome) found in air conditioned structures [16,15,19,14,13,8].…”

Metabolomic blood test: purpose, implementation and interpretation of data

“…В другом исследовании EPA, проведённом на территории СШA, три токсичных растворителя присутствовали в 100% человеческих образцов ткани [8]. Недавно построенные или отремонтированные здания могут выделять значительное количество токсичных веществ, чему было дано название "синдромом болезненной атмосферы в здании" ("sick building syndrome") [9]. Ковры -особенно крупный источник многих нейротоксинов.…”