Sick Building or Just Toxic Work Environment?

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)—the moniker for a group of symptoms affecting the eyes, head, upper respiratory tract, and skin—has long been associated with certain physical characteristics of office environments. However, researchers have been unable to determine just which environmental factors are responsible for SBS. A new study published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine indicates that SBS may actually be correlated with psychosocial factors in the workplace. The researchers examined 4,052 workers in 44 buildings, and found no significant correlation between SBS symptoms and physical characteristics of their environments. A number of psychosocial factors, however, including high job demands and low support from management were correlated to SBS. http://oem.bmjjournals.com/