Association between Ventilation and Nonspecific Building-Related Symptoms
Date Issued
2004
Date
2004
Author(s)
Lin, Jia-shiang
DOI
zh-TW
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the association between ventilation and the worker’s nonspecific building-related symptoms (BRS) in one office.
Methods: The study office was located in the sixth floor of one semiconductor company with a floor area of 1452 m2 and a HVAC system with sealed windows. A total of 111 out of 174 office workers in this office participated in this study. All study subjects completed self-administered questionnaires of BRS symptoms and the office’s indoor climate and air quality were measured twice on August and November 2003. The participant’s perceptions of the office’s physical environment and job stress were also obtained in the first survey. χ2 and T tests were used to analyze cross-sectional data. McNemar's and Paired-T tests were to analyze follow-up data. Multiple logistic regressions were to evaluate the relationships between subjects’ BRS symptoms and their demographic characteristics and perceptions of the environment. Generalized linear mixed models were used to correlate BRS symptoms with variables of indoor air quality.
Results: Eye irritation and nonspecific symptoms were two most prevalent BRS in our study subjects with 46%-61% and 25%-30%, respectively. Female and allergic workers had significantly higher BRS than other workers. BRS was positively associated with worker’s’ perception of low indoor movements and noise. Between two environmental measurements, there was no significant difference in indoor air quality except carbon dioxide concentrations. The CO2 concentrations were 416-599 ppm in the first measurement and 727-892 ppm in the second measurement. By comparing workers with CO2 exposure above 800 ppm to those below 500 ppm, the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were 4.0 (CI, 1.5~10.6) for any BRS symptoms, 6.3 (CI, 2.5~15.9) for eye irritation, and 3.4 (CI, 1.4~8.3) for nonspecific symptoms.
Conclusions: Worker’s BRS was increase by high CO2 concentrations indoors arising from low fresh air replacement in the ventilation system.
Subjects
室內空氣品質
非特異性建築相關症狀
二氧化碳
Indoor air quality
Carbon dioxide
nonspecific building-related symptoms
SDGs
Type
thesis
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