Effect of a new ventilation system on health and well-being of office workers

Archives of Environmental Health
D MenziesC H Chan

Abstract

Sick building syndrome is the term given to a heterogeneous constellation of symptoms that affects workers in modern mechanically ventilated office buildings. Although the cause is unknown, there is evidence that the local environment of the work station is an important determinant of symptoms. In this study, investigators examined the effect of a new, individually controlled ventilation system on workers' symptoms. Investigators studied two groups of workers in one mechanically ventilated office building: (1) a control group at whose worksite no intervention was made and (2) an intervention group. The intervention consisted of installation of a device that allowed each worker control over the ventilation supplied to his or her worksite. Just before, and 4 and 16 mo after installation of this device, workers completed self-administered questionnaires regarding occurrence of symptoms. The new ventilation system resulted in higher air velocities, more variable temperatures, and higher concentrations of airborne dust and fungal spores. Four months after installation, workers with the new ventilation system reported fewer symptoms that were (a) work-related (p < .05) and that were work-related and frequent (p < .05); in addition, t...Continue Reading

References

Apr 1, 1990·Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health·D NorbäckJ Widström
Jun 1, 1990·British Journal of Industrial Medicine·F PietriR Flamant
Jan 1, 1988·The American Review of Respiratory Disease·J M SametJ D Spengler
Jan 1, 1987·The Annals of Occupational Hygiene·S BurgeA Robertson
Dec 8, 1984·British Medical Journal·M J FinneganP S Burge
Jan 1, 1983·International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health·A P VerhoeffB Brunekreef
Mar 25, 1993·The New England Journal of Medicine·R MenziesR Tamblyn

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Citations

Nov 20, 1997·The New England Journal of Medicine·D Menzies, J Bourbeau
Jan 15, 2003·Clinical Microbiology Reviews·D M Kuhn, M A Ghannoum
Jan 24, 2004·Occupational and Environmental Medicine·P S Burge
Sep 2, 2006·American Journal of Industrial Medicine·Raimo NiemeläKari Reijula
May 10, 2008·Nursing & Health Sciences·Nami ImaiYoshihiro Kido

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