One of the best things you can do for your own occupational health is to stop suffering quietly. If you have been having splitting headaches only while at work, rather than just quietly swallowing your pain and your aspirins, talk to your co-workers. Find out whether anyone else is having similar symptoms. Keep a journal of your workdays so you can track when the symptons began—for example, did you begin to feel ill after you were moved to the cubicle next to the copy machine? Pay attention to whether your symptoms disappear when you are not at work. (Bear in mind that stress can cause symptoms such as headaches and stomach aches.) Then, if you still suspect that conditions in your workplace are making you ill, go to an Occupational Medicine physician or clinic. Do not go to a general practitioner. Occupational Medicine specialists are trained to do detailed evaluations of a patient’s occupational history, and general practitioners are not. Better yet, go to the Occupational Health Clinic along with co-workers who are having similar health problems, and compare notes. The more documentation you can build up, the better your chances of making changes in your workplace. To find your nearest Occupational Health Clinic, go to the website for the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics, www.aoec.org
If you are a union member, your union can help make sure the necessary changes are made in your workplace, and you will be protected from being fired or otherwise punished for complaining. If you are not a union member, Sick Building Syndrome will be much more difficult to deal with, and you will definitely need the help of your co-workers. Non-unionized workers have very few legal rights in this area, because most of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) air quality standards deal with acute health effects, (meaning toxins that will make people keel over dead right on the factory floor) not with less toxic contaminants that cause chronic discomfort or illness.
All workers have the legal right to contact the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and request a Health Hazard Evaluation.
www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe This evaluation is conducted free of charge and may be requested by employers, employees, and their representatives. Health Hazards that the inspectors search for include unsafe noise levels, chemical and biological toxins, dangerous equipment, and inadequate ventilation systems. Unfortunately, though you have the legal right to request an evaluation, if you do not belong to a union, there are no federal laws to prevent your employer from firing you for it.
Talk to your co-workers. You need to stick together. If you are an employer, talk to your workers--healthy workers are more productive.


Get more on Ellen Sandbeck at SimonandSchuster.com