Issue link: https://hi.iaq.net/i/630729
Factors Affecting Indoor Air Quality 11 Because of varying sensitivity among people, one individual may react to a particular IAQ problem while surrounding occupants have no ill effects. (Symptoms that are limited to a single person can also occur when only one work station receives the bulk of the pollutant dose.) In other cases, complaints may be widespread. A single indoor air pollutant or problem can trigger different reactions in different people. Some may not be affected at all. Information about the types of symptoms can sometimes lead directly to solutions. However, symptom information is more likely to be useful for identifying the timing and conditions under which problems occur. Types of Symptoms and Complaints The effects of IAQ problems are often non- specific symptoms rather than clearly defined illnesses. Symptoms commonly attributed to IAQ problems include: ■ headache ■ fatigue ■ shortness of breath ■ sinus congestion ■ cough ■ sneezing ■ eye, nose, and throat irritation ■ skin irritation ■ dizziness ■ nausea All of these symptoms, however, may also be caused by other factors, and are not necessarily due to air quality deficiencies. "Health" and "comfort" are used to describe a spectrum of physical sensations. For example, when the air in a room is slightly too warm for a person's activity level, that person may experience mild discomfort. If the temperature continues to rise, discomfort increases and symptoms such as fatigue, stuffiness, and headaches can appear. Some complaints by building occupants are clearly related to the discomfort end of the spectrum. One of the most common IAQ complaints is that "there's a funny smell in here." Odors are often associated with a perception of poor air quality, whether or not they cause symptoms. Environmental stressors such as improper lighting, noise, vibration, overcrowding, ergonomic stressors, and job-related psychosocial problems (such as job stress) can produce symptoms that are similar to those associated with poor air quality. The term sick building syndrome (SBS) is sometimes used to describe cases in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that are appar- ently linked to the time they spend in the building, but in which no specific illness or cause can be identified. The complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone or may be widespread throughout the building. Many different symptoms have been associated with SBS, including respiratory complaints, irritation, and fatigue. Analysis of air samples often fails to detect high concentrations of specific contaminants. The problem may be caused by any or all of the following: ■ the combined effects of multiple pollutants at low concentrations ■ other environmental stressors (e.g., overheating, poor lighting, noise) ■ ergonomic stressors ■ job-related psychosocial stressors (e.g., overcrowding, labor-management problems) ■ unknown factors Building-related illness (BRI) is a term referring to illness brought on by exposure to the building air, where symptoms of diagnosable illness are identified (e.g., certain allergies or infections) and can be directly attributed to environmental agents in the air. Legionnaire's disease and hypersensitivity pneumonitis are examples of BRI that can have serious, even life- threatening consequences. Environmental stressors such as improper lighting, noise, vibration, overcrowding, ergonomic stressors, and job-related psychosocial problems (such as job stress) can produce symptoms that are similar to those associated with poor air quality.