Still Stupid, After All These Years

[Guest guest]

Wiley Publishing is offering a free 30 day online access to their textbook

" General and Applied Toxicology " . The link to sign up, is at the bottom of this

posting. For those of you who want your blood pressure to go up immediately,

like mine did, I have excerpted two items, below, from their textbook.

2.3.7. Sensory Irritation, Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)

SBS consists of a group of general, mucosal and skin symptoms that are related

to the time spent in particular buildings (WHO, 1982; Burge, 2004). Building

occupants complain of symptoms such as irritation to eye, nose or throat, dry

cough, dry or itchy skin; headache and concentration difficulties; dizziness and

nausea; fatigue, as well as increased sensitivity to odours. Various factors in

the indoor air environment, including dampness, temperature, thermal conditions

and particle pollutants, have been suggested as causes of these symptoms. Other

factors that may significantly affect the indoor environment include ventilation

rates, ETS, combustion products, formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds

(VOCs).

SBS is strongly related to mental stress at work (Runeson et al., 2004; Marmot

et al., 2006). Mental stress has even been shown to be more important than the

physical environment in explaining prevalence of SBS (Marmot et al., 2006).

Psychosocial and personal reasons also dominated in mucus-membrane irritation

symptoms and general symptoms among teachers in state schools when comparing

‘moisture-damaged’ and ‘nondamaged’ schools (Ebbehøj et al., 2005).

Negative psychosocial work factors have been associated with the risk of

contracting various illnesses, especially psychosomatic disorders. High demands

at work together with low social job control and low job support are

combinations of mental factors that may cause various negative effects on health

(Theorell and Karasek, 1996).

4.3. Dampness in Buildings

Dampness in buildings is a risk factor for health effects among atopic

(hypersensitive) and nonatopic individuals, both in domestic and in public

environments (Bornehag et al., 2001; 2004b). It may increase the risk of health

effects in the airways, such as coughing, wheezing and asthma by 40–120% or

even more. Dampness is also associated with other effects such as tiredness,

headache and airway infections. Remedial building measures have positive effects

on health (Savilahti et al., 2000; Patovirta et al., 2004; Rudblad et al.,

2004). The evidence for a causal association between dampness and health effects

is strong, but the mechanisms are unknown (Bornehag et al., 2001; 2004b).

Several definitions of dampness have been used in studies of these associations,

and no matter how they have been formulated they all seem to be associated with

health problems. The literature is not conclusive with respect to causative

agents, for example mites,

microbiological agents and organic chemicals from degraded building materials.

Even if the mechanisms are unknown, there is sufficient evidence to take

preventive measures against dampness, moisture and water damage in buildings.

If building structures are subject to more moisture and dampness than they were

intended for, this may cause damage due to chemical or microbiological

decomposition of the building materials. Organic dust and filth may provide

nutrition for micro-organisms such as bacteria, moulds and amoebae, and insects

such as mites, cockroaches and flies. Processes in built environments that are

subject to more moisture than intended can therefore cause exposure to:

Allergens from house dust mites and other living or dead insects, germs and

spores as well as from moulds and bacteria

MVOCs, irritating and evil-smelling vapours produced by microbiologic metabolism

Mycotoxins from moulds, of which many have strong biological effects;

micro-organisms use toxins to suppress other organisms in their fight for

survival and growth

Endotoxins and glucanes, which are active agents originating from bacteria

Chemicals, such as formaldehyde, emitted from building materials; the generation

of such substances often increases due to hydrolysis and the decay of materials

caused by water damage

It has also been proposed that a more efficient spreading of respiratory

infection viruses in damp indoor climate can be a ‘missing link’ between

allergen exposure and onset of asthma and allergic disease (Hersoug, 2005).

Although many of these potential mechanisms can, theoretically, cause health

effects, most exposure levels are usually much too low for health effects to

actually occur. One intervention study indicated dose–response relationships

between exposure to mould and health effects (Savilahti et al., 2000). However,

as in other indoor climate cases, the measured levels were still far too low to

cause health effects, even when based on current knowledge (Eduard, 2006). The

association between dampness and health effects, on the other hand, is strong,

although there is no reason to believe that moisture or dampness themselves are

the actual causes. Obviously, possible causes must be looked for among the

agents that occur due to the effects

of increased humidity in buildings and other factors, such as temperature.

Dampness is sometimes associated with mite growth that can induce mite

sensitization and allergic disease (Wickman et al., 1991). Agents other than

mite allergens, which in some studies have been shown to increase the risk for

symptoms and medical signs, are airborne moulds and bacteria. However, the

literature is not consistent. In conclusion, it is not known which

humidity-related agents in indoor air are the main causes of the health effects.

Dampness and moisture phenomena in buildings, microbial and chemical exposures,

and individual human responses are complex phenomena. While the causative links

between exposure agents and health responses are still not well understood, the

essential issue is to prevent problems by keeping the buildings dry and clean

through good design, construction and maintenance.

 

For your FREE 30 trial of the textbook " General and Applied Toxicology " , click

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Wiley Publishing, when the page appears, register in the upper right-hand corner

of the page.

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/trial/gat10/

 

[Guest guest]

You're right about the BP. I think mine just went through the

roof!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was a teacher and they tried to say this about me!!!

Psychosomatic, stress, didn't like teaching anymore, etc. Makes me want to

scream at

the top of my

lungs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I

always said I didn't wish this illness on my worst enemy

but I think I've changed my mine after reading this!!!!!!

Wiley Publishing is Psychosocial and personal reasons also dominated in

mucus-membrane irritation symptoms and general symptoms among teachers in

state schools when comparing ‘moisture-damaged’ and ‘nondamaged’

schools

(Ebbehøj et al., 2005). Negative psychosocial work factors have been

associated with the risk of contracting various illnesses, especially

psychosomatic disorders.offering a free 30 day online access to their textbook

" General

and Applied Toxicology " . The link to sign up, is at the bottom of this

posting. For those of you who want your blood pressure to go up immediately,

like mine did, I have excerpted two items, below, from their textbook.

[Guest guest]

It is true and very offensive to have finger pointing at " man-o-pause " or you

are " sick of teaching " (never)only sick of environMENTAL experts saying nothing

is wrong! And whose incompetence and ineptitude is unmatched and skewed by the

employer. There is still a hostility to " make it right " and only the will to

cover up the problem.

It is a particularly hurtful and vicious posture that is taken when a teacher

complains of an unhealthy environment to protect themselves and the children. We

become so absorbed in completing curriculum requirements with excellence that we

expect everyone else to be doing their job as well, by providing a safe and

healthy workplace/school space. Remember they are in " business " and we are in a

" vocation. "

Being charged with working with young people is the greatest profession, going

back to Aristotle and Socrates.

I found the need to look at this disaster as an " opportunity " to get the

" back-story " on poor IAQ in schools, and now when I run into my former bosses,

all I get is a very " sheepish " look, " almost " apologetic, and I maintain that

nothing beats good blood and tissue studies which match classroom " samples " to

prevail.

It sounds as that " resource " was put together for " defense purposes. There are

two sides to every coin and a smart teacher like you can dig them up to force

them to " eat their words " with a " fork and spoon " (to quote a famous song!)

Not legal advice.

>

>

> You're right about the BP. I think mine just went through the

> roof!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was a teacher and they tried to say this about me!!!

> Psychosomatic, stress, didn't like teaching anymore, etc. Makes me want to

scream at

> the top of my

> lungs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I

always said I didn't wish this illness on my worst enemy

> but I think I've changed my mine after reading this!!!!!!

>

> Wiley Publishing is Psychosocial and personal reasons also dominated in

> mucus-membrane irritation symptoms and general symptoms among teachers in

> state schools when comparing ‘moisture-damaged’ and ‘nondamaged’

schools

> (Ebbehøj et al., 2005). Negative psychosocial work factors have been

> associated with the risk of contracting various illnesses, especially

> psychosomatic disorders.offering a free 30 day online access to their

textbook " General

> and Applied Toxicology " . The link to sign up, is at the bottom of this

> posting. For those of you who want your blood pressure to go up immediately,

> like mine did, I have excerpted two items, below, from their textbook.

>

>

>

>

>

>