As winter arrives, it brings with it a wave of cold and flu infections that not only make people feel unwell but can have a tangible effect on productivity in workplaces.
It is such a common occurrence that it is often known simply as ‘sick building syndrome’, but its exact causes can vary from building to building and due to how common winter bugs are in general, it can often be misdiagnosed or downplayed.
However, is it possible that the problem is lying beneath your employees’ feet? And could the right entrance mat help to reduce lost productivity, sick leave and poor morale?
What Is Sick Building Syndrome?
Sick building syndrome is a relatively broad term for a series of common illnesses, infections and discomfort caused by environmental factors in a building itself.
It is a somewhat complex condition, often diagnosed when other factors such as a disease outbreak can be ruled out, and typically manifests with a range of common symptoms such as:
- Coughing and wheezing
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- Dry eyes
- Itchy skin, sometimes with rashes
- Headaches
- Fatigue and finding it hard to concentrate
What often differentiates sick building syndrome and other illnesses is that these symptoms tend to get worse the more you are in a particular building and exposed to a certain set of pathogens, but improve the longer you stay away from it.
Can Carpets Cause Sick Building Syndrome?
A fascinating 1987 study on sick building syndrome found that there was a correlation between wall-to-wall carpeting and sick building syndrome, and over the decades since then, more information has been gathered about what causes sick building syndrome and why some buildings are more affected than others.
One major cause of sick building syndrome is indoor air pollutants, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), dust, mould and allergens, all of which can be trapped in a carpet and kicked up in high traffic areas.
This, alongside poor air circulation, light and noise pollution and overcrowded workspaces, can exacerbate the issue and spread airborne infections more easily.
Other elements that could potentially contribute to sick building syndrome include buildings that use lightweight construction materials, air-tight rooms that are mechanically ventilated, and climate-controlled rooms that remain at a relatively warm temperature.
How Can An Entrance Mat Help?
Many of these pollutants come from outside of the building, so the best way to stop sick building syndrome is to reduce the amount of dirt entering the building, entering the carpet and entering our bodies.
Sick building syndrome is typically caused by long-term exposure, which can be reduced if there are fewer overall pollutants, irritants and potential avenues for infection.
An effective entrance mat can stop a lot of these pollutants from reaching other people and lowering the indoor air quality to the point that it affects health, well-being and productivity.
As people are spending more time indoors and working longer than ever before, it is vital that the buildings where they live and work are not causing harm and ill-health, and the first step into the building could be the first step to helping fight sick building syndrome.