Indoor air quality problems are not limited to homes. In fact, many office buildings have significant air pollution sources. In addition, these buildings may be inadequately ventilated. For example, mechanical ventilation. systems may not be designed or operated to provide adequate amoullts of outside air. Finally, people generally have less control over the indoor environment in their offices than they do in their homes. Some indoor air pollutants in office environments pose long-term risks (for example, the cancer risk from asbestos). In recent years, however, there has been an increase in the incidence of immediate health problems related to indoor air pollutants in office environments. HEALTH EFFECTS A number of well-identified illnesses, such as LegionnaireS disease, asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and humidifier fever, have been directly traced to specific building problems. These are called building-related illnesses. Most of these diseases can be treated; nevertheless some can pose serious risks to some individuals. Frequently, however, a significant number of building occupants experience symptoms that do not fit the pattern of any p;articular illness and are difficult to trace to any specific source. This phenomenon has been labeled sick building syndrome. People may complain of one or more of the following symptoms: dry or burning mucous membranes in the nose, eyes, and throat, sneez ing, stuffy or runny nose, fatigue or lethargy. headache, dizziness, nausea, irritability, and forgetfulness. Poor lighting, noise, vibration, thermal discomfort, and psychological stress may also cause, or contribute to, these symptoms. There is no single manner in which these health problems appear. In some cases. problems begin as workers enter their offices and diminish as workers leave; other times, symptoms continue until the illness is treated. Sometimes there are outbreaks of illness among many workers in a single building; in other cases, health symptoms show up only in individual workers. There are usually some occupant complaints about health and comfort in new buildings. In fact, the ventilation guidelines for indoor air quality set forth by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers are intended to satisfy 80 percent of a buildingS occupants. In the opinion of some World Health Organization experts, up to 30 percent of new or remodelled commercial buildings may have unusually high rates of health and comfort complaints from occupants that may potentially be related to indoor air quality. WHAT CAUSES INDOOR AIR PROBLEMS IN OFFICES? T hree major reasons for poor indoor air quality in office buildings are the presence of indoor air pollution sources, poorly designed, maintained, or operated ventilation systems, and uses of the building that were unanticipated or poorly planned for when the buildillg was designed or renovated . Sources of Office Air Pollution As with homes, the most important factor influencing indoor air quality is the presence of pollutant sources. Commonly found office pollutants and their sources include environmental tobacco smoke; asbestos from insulating and fireretardant building supplies; formaldehyde from pressed wood products; other organics from building materials, carpeting, and other office furnishings, cleaning materials and activities, restroom air fresheners, paints, adhesives, copying machines, and photography and print shops; biological contaminants from dirty ventilation systems or water-damaged walls, ceilings, and carpets; and pesticides from pest management practices. \Ventilation SystemS Mechanical ventilation systems in large buildings are designed and operated not only to heat and cool the air, but also to draw in and circulate outdoor air. When they are poorly designed, operated, or maintained, however, ventilation systems can contribute to indoor air problems in several ways. For example, problems arise when, in an effort to save energy, ventilation systems are not used to bring in adequate amounts of outdoor air. Inadequate ventilation also occurs if the air supply and return vents within each room are blocked or placed in such a way that outside air does not actually reach the breathing zone of building occupants. Improperly located outside air intake air vents can also brinng in air colltaminated with automobile alld truck exhaust, boiler emissions, fumes from dumpsters, or air vented from restrooms. Finally, ventilation systems can be a source of indoor pollution themselves by spreading biological contaminants that have multiplied in cooling towers, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, air conditioners, or the inside surfaces of ventilation ductwork. Use of fhe Bui/ding Indoor air pollutants can be circulated from portions of the building used for specialized purposes, such as restaurants, print shops, and drycleaning stores, into offices in the same buildiIng. Carbon monoxide and other components of automobile exhaust can be drawn from underground parking garages through stairwells and elevator shafts into office spaces. In addition, buildings originally designed for one purpose may end up being converted to use as office space. If not properly modified during building renovations, the room partitions and ventilation system can contribute to indoor air quality problems by restricting air recirculation or by iIĄg air recirculation or by providing an inadequate supply of outside air. Role of a Building Inspection in Correcting Problems Frequently indoor air quality problems in large commercial buildings cannot be effectively identified or remedied without a comprehensive building investigation. These investigations may start with written questionnaires and telephone consultations in which building investigators assess the history of occupant symptoms and building operation procedures. In some cases, these illquiries may quickly uncover the problem and on-site visits are unnecessary. More often, however, investigators will need to come to the building to conduct personal interviews with occupants, to look for possible sources of the problems, and to inspect the design and operation of the ventilation system and other building features. Because taking measurements of pollutants at the very low levels often found in office buildings is expensive and may not yield information useful in identifying problem sources, investigators may not take many measurements. The process of solving indoor air quality problems that result in health and comfort complaints can be a slow one involving several trial solutions before successful remedial actions are identified. WHAT TO DO IF YOU SUSPECT A PROBLEM If you or others at your office are experiencing health or comfort problems that you suspect may be caused by indoor air pollution, you can do the follownig: - Talk with your own physician and report your problems to the company physician, nurse, or health or biosafety officer so that they can be added to the record of health complaints; - Talk with your supervisor, other workers, and union representatives to see if the problems are being experienced by others and urge that a record of reported health complaints be kept by management, if one has not already been established; - Ask the building manager to consider hiring a commercial company that conducts building investigations to diagnose the problem or problems and to suggest solutions. Carefully select such companies on the basis of their experience in identifying and solving indool air quality problems in no: industrial buildings; - Call the National Institute, for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) for information on obtaining a health hazard evaluation of your office (1-800-35NIOSH); - Call your state or local health department or air pollution control agency to talk over the symptoms and possible causes; and - Work with others to establish a smoking policy that minimizes non-smoker exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.