Sick-building symptoms in office workers in northeastern France: a pilot study

@article{Teculescu1998SickbuildingSI,
  title={Sick-building symptoms in office workers in northeastern France: a pilot study},
  author={Dan B. Teculescu and Erik Andr{\'e} Sauleau and Nicole Massin and Abraham B Bohadana and Oliver Buhler and Lahoucine Benamghar and Jean M Mur},
  journal={International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health},
  year={1998},
  volume={71},
  pages={353-356}
}
Study objectives: To verify that sick building symptoms are present in north-eastern France office workers; to try to identify new confounding factors. Methods: The design was that of a cross-sectional study with control group.We studied with the same methods the personnel of an air-conditioned building (n = 425), and of a naturally ventilated building (n = 351). Air temperature and humidity, bacterial and fungal densities were measured by the same technical staff in the two buildings. A… 
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Sick building syndrome
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The building symptom index shows a wide variation between different buildings; ‘‘sicker’’ buildings often have conditions of air temperature, humidity, and lighting levels that fully comply with current standards.
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Exposure to HVAC systems was a strong and significant risk factor for otorhinolaryngologist attendance and sickness absence and the need for a quantitative assessment of the health impact of ventilation systems is outlined.
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In conclusions fungal contamination was found to be associated with the onset of sick building syndrome symptoms among workers in office buildings in Mauritius.
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Occupants sharing an office and occupants in open-plan offices (>6 occupants) had significantly more days of sickness absence than occupants in cellular offices.
Risk of sick leave associated with outdoor air supply rate, humidification, and occupant complaints.
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Findings suggest that net savings of $400 per employee per year may be obtained with increased ventilation, and currently recommended levels of outdoor air supply may be associated with significant morbidity, and lost productivity on a national scale could be as much as $22.8 billion per year.
Building- and Work-Related Symptoms (BWRS) A Multivariate Exploratory Study of Office Environments
We compared the work environment in different kinds of offices in Argentina and in Sweden. It was hypothesised that symptoms of discomfort would have multiple causes related to the physical…
Prevalence of building-related symptoms as an indicator of health and productivity.
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A review of 23 studies suggests that a linkage exists between typical BRS and productivity indicators such as task or work performance or absence from work and economic metrics enable cost-benefits analysis.
Building-Related Symptoms among Office Employees Associated with Indoor Carbon Dioxide and Total Volatile Organic Compounds
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The association between some SBS symptoms and the exposure to CO2 and total VOCs are moderate but may be independently significant.
Oxidative Stress Associated with Indoor Air Pollution and Sick Building Syndrome-Related Symptoms among Office Workers in Taiwan
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The results showed that urinary 8-OHdG had significant associations with volatile organic compounds and carbon dioxide levels in offices, and with urinary cotinine levels, and was significantly associated with SBS complaints after controlling for air pollution and smoking.
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