Any Ideas What Is Causing This 'sick Building' Problem?

[sunsocks]

Where I work in the offices (less than 1 year) my eyes sting and are sore and my nose runs all day and I sneeze quite a bit. It stops when I leave work. The other lady at work in the same office also has the same problem with her eyes plus she coughs a lot while at work - this stops when she goes home. We have had the offices 'deep cleaned', tried a dehumidier and an air filtration system. We have had the loft cleaned out totally. We have also had the laboratory do a spore count which appears okay...... Does anyone have any other ideas of what we can do or what can be causing it? It is a brick building with tiled roof and carpet tiled floor.

[AB Editor]

Are you suggesting the building is contaminated somehow - or that are you talking about sick building syndrome?

Sick building syndrome: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Sick-building-syndrome/Pages/Introduction.aspx

[TWR]

Cleaning Products in the Carpet, has it just been cleaned? A/C, Is it up to scratch with the service maintainence? If its a health Issue have a word with your Manager etc.

[society]

The carpet might be the culprit. Same exact thing happens to my sister and her family. They cannot tolerate any carpets and most rugs. They are allergic to something which carpets are made of.

[sunsocks]

AB Editor - We don't know if it is due to SBS or to contamination or something else - only that we get the symptoms above and we don't have a problem away from the office
TWR - the carpet has been cleaned and it is no different after the cleaning than it was before the cleaning
I have suggested contacting Environment Health but management are not keen to do this (not sure why)

[woofgang]

could be anything....is there an air freshener? are there just the two of you? Do visitors react in the same way?

[society]

Just had another thought - do any of you wear perfume or any sort of fragrance? This could be a factor to consider also.

[TWR]

This might be the cause?? what products do they use on the window cleaning / office furniture cleaning, try and find this out

[ClaryS]

Could it be the glue used to stick down the carpet tiles?

Check what products the Cleaners are using and change them to natural products.

[boxtops]

Is it open plan....?

[sunsocks]

Thanks for the responses -
They use Mr Muscle for cleaning - as I do at home and don't have a reaction to it
It is only in the office we have the problem - not related to perfume
We don't have air fresheners in here
Other people have similar problems if they work in our office - but less so in the adjoining office

[Rosetta]

While you are trying to find the cause why not place more plans around the office

http://www.plants-in-buildings.com/whyplants.php

[sunsocks]

We have some plants in the office and did try removing them to see if that was the cause but it made no difference so we have brought them back in.
My optician and doctor couldn't suggest anything.

[mccfluff]

is their aircon and do you sit near/under a vent?

[sunsocks]

There is no aircon and matter how cold it is I have a small window open behind me to try and lessen the problem as it is even worse if we have all the windows closed

[society]

There's a ghost in your office who is causing this problem. :)

[Frank97]

Printer ink allergy?
http://www.live-in-green.com/health_info/allergy/air/toner.html

[EvianBaby]

Maybe you're allergic to your colleague.

[sunsocks]

Frank97 - interesting link .... I haven't had the problems in other offices with printers and photocopiers but it is worth thinking about
EvianBaby - you could be right :) I have already thought about leaving as it maybe the easy option but I need the job

[Wak]

Could the air in the office be too dry thus causing the dry eyes and throat.
Try boiling a kettle and putting plenty of steam in the room and see if that makes a difference.

[sunsocks]

Sorry - I said that we had tried a dehumidifier when I meant a humidifier but to no avail - it didn't work at all