Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)

SBS is a term used to describe a building in, which the occupants experience a range of symptoms causing discomfort and a sense of being unwell, rather than a specific illness. These buildings are typically modern offices, which have mechanical ventilation or air conditioning. According to guidance document HS(G) 132 on SBS published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) the symptoms, often mild and not apparently causing lasting damage, can in severe cases cause considerable distress and affect the sufferer’s attitude towards work.

It is not known however, what if any, long-term effects repeated or continuous illness may have on the body’s immune system. Symptoms given in the HSE guidance are: headaches - nausea - dizziness - lethargy - poor concentration - dry or itchy skin rash - eyes and nose irritation - stuff or runny nose and high frequency of airway infection and cough. The main feature is that the symptoms worsen with time spent in the building and disappear away from the building. It should not be confused with specific building related illness such as “humidifier fever and/or legionnaire's disease”: the effects of exposure to particular toxic substances. Awareness of SBS has been growing since the 1960s; and International status was achieved in 1982 when the World Health Organisation formally recognised the condition.

Workers at Risk

• Almost any worker can be affected by SBS;
  
• Reports commonly involve those employed in large office buildings and particularly those who have little control over their work environment and are employed in routine clerical work; and
  
• Women seem more at risk than men but this may simply reflect the fact more women are employed in these areas.

Prevention

• The key to preventing SBS includes good building design, good maintenance and good monitoring to ensure that the building as a whole performs as intended;
  
• Where SBS is suspected, the problem should be investigated promptly and systematically starting with the most likely sources and taking the simplest action to remedy the faults as they emerge;
  
• Siting of ventilation system intake so as to avoid pollution from external sources;
  
• Photocopiers and other machinery producing odours or chemical vapours should be housed in separate, well-ventilated rooms;
  
• Minimising internal air pollutants, e.g. carpets, furnishings and drapes that emit strong odours.

Employers have a legal responsibility to prevent work-related accidents and ill health - including SBS. There are general duties on all employers under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999) to assess and reduce risks and ensure (so far as is reasonably practicable) the health and safety of employees, and others who may be affected by work activity. Other regulations apply in specific situations. For example, The Workplace (Health Safety and Welfare) Regulations (1992) will apply to any specific problem relating to inadequate ventilation, temperature control, lighting, cleanliness etc., which can be associated with SBS symptoms.

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