What role do buildings play in the well-being of their inhabitants?
superadmin
December 14, 2016
Each and every element that makes up a building must be understood as the vital organs that compose it. All systems (construction, structural, and installations) play an important role in our health and comfort in our daily lives, let us not forget them when designing our workplace.
Do you know what the WHO says about buildings?
Currently, the well-being and comfort of individuals largely depends on the quality of the indoor environment of enclosed spaces (homes, educational centers, offices, clinical centers, shops, leisure spaces, etc.), as, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), people only spend between 10 and 20% of our time in open spaces.What does the WHO understand by “Sick Building Syndrome”? The organization states that a building can be considered “sick” when its occupants report health issues and lack of comfort. Typically, this refers to buildings classified as “intelligent”, with a high degree of airtightness and technological advancement, and considerable use of synthetic construction materials. Given the relevance this question holds in today's society, there are increasingly more studies linking specific environmental factors present inside buildings with the health of individuals.
In the case of complaints from occupants of the building, an environmental analysis can be carried out to determine the causes and provide corrective measures according to the regulations governing indoor air quality. Low levels of relative humidity, deficiencies in the ventilation and air conditioning systems, and inadequate or insufficient maintenance of installations are usually the most common causes of discomfort. Since determining the cause often involves complex work, and generally there is not a single root factor of the problem, the study must be aimed at examining and measuring more than one parameter related to environmental health.
LS: a specific case of building-related illness
Lipoatrophy semicircular (LS) is an idiopathic condition characterized by atrophy of subcutaneous fat tissue in the form of semi-circular depression. Individuals suffering from this condition often inhabit spaces with low relative humidity, excessively technological, and built with poorly dissipative materials for electric fields. Scientific literature raises the hypothesis that the existence of electrostatic charges and the appearance of circular lipoatrophy in those areas of the body near or in contact with furniture (that is, in the legs at a height of 72 cm, in the arms, and in the abdomen) are related.The administration acts, preventive measures
In this regard, the Generalitat de Catalunya, based on suspicions of an increase in abortions in 2008 at a workplace with cases of circular lipoatrophy, published a pioneering protocol in the field in 2009.The action protocol, in order to prevent the appearance of cases, establishes the need to take into account the following preventive measures when designing workstations:
- The edges or corners of the tables must be wide, so that the contact surface is large. Sharp and thin edges should be avoided.
- It is mandatory to inform workers and establish work procedures that prevent continuous pressure of body parts on the edges of the furniture (especially at the workstation).
- Ensure relative humidity levels of the air of approximately 50%, ensuring that these levels are maintained throughout the workday and in all seasons of the year.
- Avoid materials that cause and accumulate static electricity.
- Prevent electrical installations from interfering with the metal structure of work tables by improving the electrical insulation of the wiring and connecting it to the protection grounding of the electrical circuit.
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