The Effect on Workers of Indoor Air Quality in Underground Commercial Spaces

摘要

Background/Aim Indoor air quality in underground commercial spaces can affect the health of workers and trigger illnesses such as sick building syndrome (SBS), which causes symptoms such as headaches and coughing. This study conducts a survey of the current indoor air quality in underground commercial spaces in the Seoul metropolitan area and determines the associated health effects on workers in underground commercial spaces using a self-reporting questionnaire. Methods Indoor air quality concentrations (temperature, humidity, CO, CO2, total culturable bacteria and fungi, total volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde) were obtained in underground commercial spaces. The health effects on 314 workers in commercial spaces were determined by analyzing the results of self-reporting questionnaires relating to subjective symptoms. Results In the environmental assessment questionnaire, 34.4% of the respondents reported having smelt musty odors, and 28.0% had smelt unpleasant odors in the work space for the past month. Health effects relating to SBS were the highest. Skin and mucous membrane, mental, respiratory, and systemic symptoms were reported to have been experienced by 71.0%, 64.3%, 56.1%, and 50.0% of respondents during the past month. SBS symptoms of workers were positively correlated with indoor air quality parameters. Odor, humidity, and cognitive indexes were related more to skin mucosal symptoms than to other symptoms. Furthermore, these symptoms were related to business types and were especially common in workers within the fashion goods industry. Conclusions Results indicate that people who work within the fashion goods industry are more likely to be exposed to a greater amount of indoor air pollutants than those working in other industries. In future studies, it is necessary to evaluate the relationships between indoor air quality in the workplaces and business types.