While there are plenty of people who think their office is a boring place to sit all day, fewer individuals realise that there are several long-term health effects that can be attributed to an adverse work environment. Sick building syndrome is a condition where persistent symptoms develop in individuals exposed to offices or homes with poor standards of hygiene, hazardous chemical release or inadequate ventilation.
If your workplace suffers from sick office syndrome, indoor plants may be able to provide some relief. Among the benefits of having plants in the office is the improvement in your building’s Green Star Rating. If you’re wondering what the Green Star Rating system is, it’s a scientifically-proven framework for improving the sustainability performance of your building and enhancing the quality of life within it.
What is Sick Building Syndrome?
Sick building syndrome is a medical condition experienced by people who live or work in an indoor environment with poor air quality. Symptoms that can become present in people over time are varied, and include skin irritation, hypersensitive reactions, infectious reactions and even allergies.
Causes of Sick Building Syndrome
Sick building syndrome can be caused by a number of potential symptoms in your office, including:
- Poor ventilation: Musty buildings can lead staff to feel fatigued and nauseous at work, causing a number of other respiratory illnesses
- High dust levels: A high level of dust in your workplace may contribute to staff having difficulty breathing, feeling a tightness in their chest, and e
- Chemicals in the air: Ozone from printers and fax machines can irritate the skin, eyes and nose, and be a possible contributor to sick building syndrome.
- High levels of stress: A stressful working environment can exacerbate other factors that cause sick building syndrome
Mould or fungus: While it’s common knowledge that mould is bad for your health and can exacerbate other health conditions, prolonged exposure to a damp environment can also be a factor in the onset of sick building syndrome
How to Prevent Sick Building Syndrome
It is possible to prevent the development of sick building syndrome in your office. Consider using the following methods as sick office syndrome prevention tactics, depending on the symptoms you or your staff are presenting:
- Regular cleaning: A thorough cleaning of your office will not only help its visual appeal and make it smell better, it will also remove dust particles and potential odours that could contribute to sick building syndrome.
- Test for mould: Using a purchased testing kit or homemade solution, check whether concentrated problem areas of your office contain any mould.
- Replace air filters: Upgrading air filters in technology systems and HVAC units can improve the indoor air quality of your office, reducing the possibility of sick building syndrome developing.
- Upgrade technology: If you are still using an old printer, scanner or fax machine that emits harmful chemicals when melting toner, consider upgrading to more efficient units. Your staff will breathe cleaner air because of it.
- Office plants: To both add a little colour to your office and improve its air quality, consider investing in indoor plants.
How Can Plants Help?
For those suffering sick building syndrome, plants are an excellent method of eliminating causative agents from your environment. Here are a number of ways plants can help prevent sick building syndrome by creating a biophilic office design in your building:
- Improving air quality: Plants increase the levels of fresh oxygen inside your office, reducing the level of stale air in your building
- Reducing stress levels: Indoor plants are scientifically proven to reduce the levels of stress at work
- Adding visual appeal to your office: Adding a touch of colour to your office heightens its aesthetic appeal to both staff and visitors.
Sick Building Syndrome Plants
There are a number of plants that can help reduce the effects of sick office syndrome. Air purifying indoor plants recommended by The Plant Man include the Peace Lily, Spider Plant, Snake Plant and Bamboo Palm. These plants are easy to take care of, while adding a touch of colour to your office and improving air quality to reduce the chance of sick building syndrome developing.
Need More Information? Get in Contact
While the sick building syndrome prevention tactics outlined are designed to give general advice, The Plant Man is not a health service. If you are regularly sick at work or present any of the symptoms listed above on a persistent basis, contact your doctor or GP.
Plants can be an excellent addition to offices, adding greenery to indoor spaces and removing many of the factors that cause sick building syndrome to occur. Combined with other measures such as regular cleaning and servicing of your ventilation systems, plants can help combat the development of sick office syndrome.
If you would like more information on how office hire plants can prevent sick building syndrome at your office, please contact The Plant Man to create a free plant design and quote for your building.
