Information Homeowners Should Know

SICK BUILDING SYNDROME (SBS) vs. BUILDING RELATED ILLNESS (BRI)

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)

Experiencing health problems and not sure why? You may be suffering from Sick Building Syndrome (SBS). Wikipedia.org defines SBS as situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified.

MedicineNet.com states a 1984 World Health Organization Committee report suggested that up to 30 percent of new and remodeled buildings worldwide may be the subject of excessive complaints related to indoor air quality.

If you suffer from acute symptoms when in a particular building, but feel better when you’re not within that building, then it is possible you may be experiencing SBS. Most of the complainants feel relief soon after leaving the building. With SBS, no clinically defined disease or specific chemical or biological contaminant can be determined as the cause of the symptoms. Though it is difficult to pinpoint the main cause one common cause could be mold. People’s complaints may be centralized to one particular room or may be widespread throughout the building. Anyone can be affected by SBS, but people in modern buildings without opening windows and with mechanical ventilation or air conditioning are at higher risk. Everyone is affected differently so some people may have reactions while others may not.

Contributing factors of SBS:

• Improper ventilation – amount of air circulation though the building. If moisture is present in a building that has poor ventilation then there is a chance that mold can form.
• Chemical contaminants from indoor sources – examples are adhesives, carpeting, upholstery, manufactured wood products, copy machines, pesticides and cleaning agents that can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
• Chemical contaminants from outdoor sources – examples are pollutants from motor vehicle exhausts, plumbing vents and building exhausts (bathrooms and kitchens).
• Biological contaminants - examples are bacteria, molds, pollen and viruses.
• Building design -  when a building is operated or maintained in a manner that is inconsistent with its original design or prescribed operating procedures.
• Poor standards of cleanliness in the working environment.

Symptoms of SBS that cause acute discomfort:

• Headache
• Eye irritation
• Nose irritation
• Throat irritation/dry cough
• Dry or itchy skin
• Dizziness and nausea
• Difficulty in concentrating
• Fatigue
• Sensitivity to odors

Solutions to SBS:

• Increasing the ventilation rates and air distribution is often a cost-effective means of reducing indoor pollutant levels. Ventilation should meet building code standards.
• Removal or modification of the pollutant source is the most effective approach to solving a known source of an indoor air quality problem when this solution is practical.
• Air filters can aid in removing some pollution but it will not remove everything.
• Mold remediation must be performed if mold is found. Mold spores will continue to spread if moisture and poor ventilation are not addressed.
• If you think that your working environment is making you ill, talk to your colleagues to see whether they are having similar symptoms.
• If SBS appears to be a workplace issue, raise it with your health and safety representative. Your employer has a duty of care to investigate the problem. The environmental health services of your local authority or your local Health and Safety Executive (HSE) office may also be able to provide help and advice about how to deal with SBS.

Building Related Illness (BRI)

Is your environment or an airtight building making you sick? You may be experiencing Building Related Illness (BRI). Merriam-webster.com/ defines BRI as a clinically diagnosable disease or condition caused by a microorganisms including many species of bacteria and fungi present in a building. BRI’s can be specific or nonspecific. BRI diagnoses are based on history of exposure and clinical findings. 

Airtight buildings are characterized by having sealed windows and dependence on heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems for circulation of air. Central air conditioning systems in office buildings, hotels and hospitals are sources of contaminated water for BRI outbreaks.

Specific BRI’s are those for which a link between BRI and illness is proved. Causes can be directly attributed to airborne building pollutants such as:

• Legionella infection - Legionellosis refers to 2 distinct clinical syndromes: Legionnaires disease, which most often manifests as severe pneumonia accompanied by multisystemic disease, and Pontiac fever, which is an acute, febrile, self-limited, viral-like illness. Symptoms include:  flu-like syndrome with acute fever, chills, malaise, myalgias, headache, or confusion. Nausea, loose stools or watery diarrhea, abdominal pain, cough, and arthralgias also frequently occur. Pneumonic manifestations may include dyspnea, pleuritic pain, and hemoptysis. Bradycardia relative to fever may occur, especially in severe cases.
• Occupational asthma - Occupational asthma is reversible airway obstruction that develops after months to years of sensitization to an allergen encountered in the workplace. Symptoms include: shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing, and cough, often with upper respiratory symptoms such as sneezing, rhinorrhea, and tearing. Upper airway and conjunctival symptoms may precede the typical asthmatic symptoms by months or years. Symptoms may develop during work hours after specific dust or vapor exposure but often do not become apparent until several hours after leaving work
• Hypersensitivity pneumonitis - a syndrome of cough, dyspnea, and fatigue caused by sensitization and subsequent hypersensitivity to environmental. Acute, subacute, and chronic forms exist; all are characterized by acute interstitial inflammation and development of granulomas and fibrosis with long-term exposure.
• Inhalational fever –a febrile reaction caused by exposure to organic aerosols or dusts.

Many health effects are caused by exposure to the interior environment of water damaged buildings. Untreated moisture issues and poor circulation can lead to mold growth. Some species of mold produce mycotoxins which are some of the most toxic substances in existence. The most common types of mold that are found indoors include Cladosporium, Penicillium, Alternaria, Aspergillus and Stachybotrys chartarum (also known black mold). Exposure to mold can lead to acute symptoms that cause heath problems in certain individuals. Illnesses due to mold exposure falls under the category of BRI.

Nonspecific BRI’s refer to illness’s in which there is no specific link between building-related exposure and illness is more difficult to prove. Sick building syndrome falls into this category.

Case of BRI:

Rainbow International of South & West Suburbs was contacted by an insurance agent to inspect a property after a child in the home was diagnosed with mold in her lungs. She had been experiencing acute symptoms but the family was unaware that mold had been hiding in the home. During Rainbows inspection an abundance of mold was found hiding in the attic. The mold had continued to grow due to moisture issues that were caused by poor ventilation. The mold appeared to be toxic due to the reaction the child was experiencing. If you believe you have health issues caused by your environment then you should seek a doctor’s professional opinion. If you suspect mold within your home or business contact Rainbow International for an inspection or to perform mold remediation:708.460.0911.