All employers have a responsibility to ensure that they are taking care of their employee’s health whilst they are at work. This means that a safe working environment needs to be provided and that the workplace is well maintained. In some professions there are naturally more risks than others, and although we may not associate office work with being one of those that comes with high risks, it is the most commonly reported environment for employees who suffer from sick building syndrome.
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Sick building syndrome is something that people experience only when they are in a particular environment. So as soon as they leave and go somewhere else, their symptoms ease and they feel ok once again. There are a range of symptoms that are reported by people who suffer from sick building syndrome, including dry skin, itching skin and rashes, dry eyes and sore throat, coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath, a blocked nose and headaches.
It is not certain what causes sick building syndrome, but when the symptoms only occur in one place and it is clear that it is that particular environment that is causing it, some of the causes could include:
Contamination of the air by chemicals, such as paint, exhaust fumes or mould
An environment that isn’t cleaned regularly enough and has a build up of dust
A lack of appropriate ventilation
The materials of the building itself
If someone is reporting that they are suffering from sick building syndrome, there are things that you can do in order to try and improve their health such as:
Improving hygiene in the workplace and getting a professional like this office cleaning services Gloucestershire based company intocleaning.co.uk/contract-cleaning-services/office-cleaning-gloucestershire to do a regular deep clean
Improving ventilation, either by opening windows, using air purifiers or getting air conditioning installed
Encouraging regular breaks to be taken from the desk, as this helps to relieve the strain on the body and also allows people to get away from the room for a bit and rest
Getting a professional to come and check the building for any potential hazards that you may not have been aware of, and dealing with them if necessary
Monitoring indoor air pollution levels
Doing this should create a healthier and more enjoyable working environment for everyone and reduce the risk of anyone developing any illness caused by the working environment.