Sick Building Syndrome: Prevention

To prevent sick building syndrome, attention must be paid to reducing individual risk factors.

Behavioral risk factors

  • Psychosocial situation
    • Stress – psychological and social stress at work.
  • Lighting
  • Odor loads
  • Noise
  • Humidity
  • Overheated rooms
  • Insufficient ventilation of indoor spaces
  • Residential proximity to gas stations and small businesses

Environmental pollution – intoxications (poisonings).

Indoor pollutants contained in:

  • Floor coverings
  • Insulation materials
  • Damping
  • Sealants
  • Printers
  • Electrical appliances
  • Colors
  • Humidity
  • Wood preservative coatings
  • Hydrophobic measures
  • Air conditioning systems
  • Varnishes
  • Furniture
  • Pest control products (insecticides against insects; acaricides against mites and other arachnids; rodenticides against rodents; larvicides against the larvae of insects and mites).
  • Molds – mycotoxins (mycophenolic acid, sterigmatocystin, trichothecenes) from molds that spread on wallpaper in buildings and are detectable in the air we breathe:
    • Aspergillus versicolor (most common indoor mold).
    • Penicillium brevicompactum
    • Stachybotrys chartarum
  • Putties
  • Dusting
  • Carpeting
  • Carpet adhesives

Prevention factors (protective factors)

  • Shock ventilation (brief, approximately 3 to 10 minutes (winter: 3 min; summer up to 10 min), intensive air exchange to remove loads from work spaces)
    • Office room after 60 min
    • Meeting room after 20 min