How ‘healthy’ is your office?

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. Read more

Courtesy: The Hindu