How ‘healthy’ is your office?

Sick Building Syndrome is among the occupational hazards faced by people working in crammed environments

A 26-year-old call centre employee constantly complained of headache while in office. She felt lethargic and found it difficult to concentrate on work. These symptoms disappeared quite miraculously once she was out of office.

Doctors say these symptoms relate to sick building syndrome (SBS), a condition caused by exposure to various noxious agents that affect those who work in close proximity in a building.

This is one of the many occupational hazards faced by people in crammed working environments. This is particularly so in buildings designed to reduce heat loss, with windows that do not open and heating and cooling ducts that originate from a common source.

“Symptoms disappear when the person is outside the building. It affects productivity and increases absenteeism,” says Sashikala Chandrasekar, State president of the Indian Association of Occupational Health. Although the city is known as the IT capital, the IT and IT-enabled services industries are not covered under the provisions of any Act where occupational health and safety issues are addressed, she says.

The association, that recently held its 64th annual conference in the city, discussed various emerging occupational health hazards and the importance of occupational health services.

The other emerging hazards include night shift syndrome, psychological issues such as stress and exposure to nano particles.

Dr. Chandrasekar says that except for a few multinational companies, many lack even basic medical coverage. This has to be addressed by both the management of the organisations and by policymakers.

Shashidhar Buggi, director of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases, says constant exposure to toxic agents in a congested workplace can not only cause respiratory problems but also result in spread of infections. Exposure to nano particles, metals and carcinogenic hydrocarbons that penetrate deep into the lungs can also lead to asthma and serious breathing problems, Dr. Buggi says.