Safe Homes - Sick Building Syndrome

Can Your Office Make You Sick!

The answer is a definite yes. When grouped together in a poorly ventilated area, office machines, furnishings and even the seemingly innocent supplies in your desk drawer can emit a combination of pollutants strong enough to make your head ache, eyes water and throat itch. Here are some prime office offenders and their possible effects:

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Copy machines, computers and electrical equipment

Cleaning supplies such as floor wax, carpet deodorizers and air fresheners
Cigarette and cigar smoke, new carpeting & furnishings, insulation and window coverings.
Poorly maintained heating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems
Recent untreated water leaks.
Building not properly sealed for Water Intrusion.
Microbes such as mold and fungus

Prolonged exposure to polluted air can needlessly plague workers with skin irritations or rashes, respiratory problems and other chronic ailments. Radon or asbestos entering through cracked foundations or broken ceiling tiles can lead to cancer and other life threatening diseases. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that people who live in modern buildings come down with respiratory infections 45 percent more often than people in older structures.