Lack of healthy working environment can cause sick building syndrome


Every day humans spend more than half of their day at work, which has unfavorable consequences for personal health. Among these is "sick building syndrome" (SBS), which is characterized by a number of symptoms related to spending time in the workplace.Any office worker can be affected by SBS but especially those in a modern building that lacks a proper and healthy working environment. From air conditioning systems to poorly maintained structures SBS has many possible causes. The most common SBS symptoms are headaches, dizziness, fatigue and tightness in the chest, sensitivity to odors, shortness of breath, skin irritation and poor concentration.Özgür Şamilgil, the director of Healthy Life Center at Istanbul Florence Nightingale Hospital said that the lack of proper physical conditions can develop additional complaints and infections in further stages. Carrying out an employee survey to check whether such complaints and symptoms occur at workplace can be one measure to help avoid SBS."Women are more likely to develop the symptoms of SBS than men. This may be because more women work in offices, rather than because of women possibly being more susceptible to the condition," according to the National Health Service.