Construction syndrome "sick"
For a long time it has been said and heard that we have to renew the air in closed environments letting in new air. Contamination inside the building can cause pathology in some cases. Health problems would occur for two reasons: because more and more airtight and air-conditioned buildings are being built to save energy and because the urban person of developed societies spends more than 80% of their time in closed, more or less polluted environments, both at work and at leisure.
Diseases that can occur in this type of environment are of two types:
- The topic or germ that produces the disease is known and the disease has its own personality: respiratory diseases that appear by hypersensitivity, certain infections (legionellosis, tuberculosis...), dermatitis, rhinitis, etc.
- On other occasions, the pathological identity of the discomfort is unknown and the causal or etiological agent is unknown after medical and environmental hygiene studies. In 1982, WHO proposed using the name “Sick Building Syndrome” for these cases and defined it as: “State of morbidity characterized by irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, burukominas, unspecific hypersensitivity and other discomfort related to non-industrial indoor work spaces, when it affects a significant number of people circulating in the area, usually between 20-30%”.
Only in the situations of this second group will I use the name GES. In the table below I mention the most frequent symptoms and as can be observed, the most frequent occur in the respiratory system, skin and mucous membranes, musculoskeletal system and psychic area.
One of the main characteristics of the syndrome is that there is no specific diagnosis that can find a specific anatomical root of the lesion in the place where the symptoms appear. On the other hand, when the affected person moves away from work, symptoms improve or disappear. The diagnosis of CSR requires discarding the rest of possible causes, that is, it will be an exclusive diagnosis.
The mechanism by which these problems originate is unknown and may be influenced by many factors. The most cited are: immune mechanisms, infectious, irritating and toxic metabolic factors, traumatic mechanical mechanisms, bad postures, uncomfortable working environment (in terms of light, sound, temperature, etc. ), excessive efforts, monotony, schedule, organization of work, relationships among peers, etc.
According to WHO, the characteristics of sick buildings would be:
- Air-conditioned buildings with forced ventilation.
- Buildings of poor quality.
- Interiors with percentage materials.
- Warm and homogeneous interior environment.
- When the constructions are airtight, that is, they have no open competition.
The contaminants present in the interior environment of buildings are numerous: heating gases and coffee shops, tobacco smoke, paints, plastics, varnishes, solvents, glass fibers, detergents, insecticides, cosmetic products, photocopiers, bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.
The American organization NIOSH studied 356 constructions that had symptoms of discomfort. The most detected problem was poor ventilation (52%), followed by internal pollution (17%), external pollution (11%), microbiological pollution (5%), building materials (3%) and unknown (12%). One of the findings was that 33% of buildings did not mix fresh air with recycled air.
Here is how to conduct research on sick construction:
- Collect as many data as possible about users' health and comfort issues.
- With the data collected in the first point an anonymous survey will be prepared for all users. It is necessary to raise questions such as age, sex, medical history, discomfort and symptoms that may have been felt, working hours, location in construction, etc.
- According to the survey, measure parameters that allow to know the air quality in the samples taken in the specified places.
- Conduct a detailed evaluation of ventilation and ventilation systems with qualified personnel.
- Design the necessary modifications and their subsequent execution.
Other effectiveness evaluations with surveys will follow. In the DFS study, the doctor is responsible for performing a differential diagnosis of symptoms, but the first level of chain of actions to perform is that of other professionals, such as architects, hygienists, engineers and specialized in ventilation and air conditioning tasks.
Although from a health point of view it is not generating serious consequences, it must be taken into account its incidence in work absenteeeism, performance and working comfort. If all this is taken into account, the additional cost of better construction design is fully compensated.
- Itching and/or burning in the eyes and throat
- Nasal congestion and rhinitis
- Cough and sneezing
- Chest tightness and breathing difficulty
- Skin irritations: itching and erythema
- Burukomina
- Musculoskeletal symptoms: arthralgias and muscle aches
- Tired head and general discomfort
- Change of character, irritability...
- Concentration difficulties
- Dizziness, dizziness, and nausea
- Mix of smell and taste
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