Industrial Air Pollution & Sick Building Syndrome

Did You Know?

The World Health Organization reported that 30% of new and remodeled buildings worldwide may be linked to symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome (SBS).

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In addition to being exposed to airborne pollutants in the home, poor workplace air quality is also a problem. During the 1970s, physicians noticed increasing numbers of patients suffering from symptoms such as headaches, eye/nose irritation, odor sensitivity, and other allergy-like reactions to unspecified stimuli. After years of research, it was found that these patients would experience these reactions while in buildings, but that these symptoms would cease once patients left these buildings. Eventually, this disorder became known as SBS, or Sick Building Syndrome.

SBS occurs when occupants of a building experience health problems associated with time spent in that building. This is usually the result of:

  • Poor ventilation
  • Heavy pollution indoor
  • Occupant activities
  • Toxic mold Poor building design

Outgassing of building materials and the use of chemicals may also play important roles in the quality of air in the workplace.

Though a specific illness may not be diagnosed, SBS can cause fatigue, sensitivity to odors, headaches, coughing, dry skin, and several other ailments. In turn, SBS may reduce worker productivity and increase absenteeism.

In order to decrease the harmful effects of pollutants in the workplace, ventilation rates and air distribution is crucial in reducing indoor pollutant levels. Commercial air purifiers can be a useful addition to control contaminants in the air.

When choosing an air purifier for commercial use, consumers should be aware of both the main source of pollution and the square footage of the area being purified.

Air purifiers with HEPA filters and ion generators are excellent at trapping particles such as dust, while purifiers utilizing activated carbon can effectively eliminate harmful gases. On the other hand, extremely high pollution areas will benefit from ozone air purifiers, while microbiological contaminants like viruses, bacteria, and mold can be eliminated by air purifiers with UV lamps.

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