Any experience with work place illness?

Anonymous

March 12,2023 at 12:33AM UTC

Welcome to Fairygodboss!

We’re the largest online career community helping women achieve their career goals. Gain access to articles, jobs, events, and a supportive network of women and allies. Membership is free, always.

Any experience with work place illness? How do I report this? So, I started a job several months ago and got sick 4 weeks after I started. I thought it was an isolated event until now. Every week I would come home feeling as if I had a viral infection, flu or Covid. My test would always be negative but the symptoms continued and got worse when I go into a specific area. This last time I got so sick, but I went to work the next day. I know it’s workplace related, but how do I report/ prove this because I’ve exhausted a lot of sick time.

Why women love us:

Daily articles on career topics
Jobs at companies dedicated to hiring more women
Advice and support from an authentic community
Events that help you level up in your career
Free membership, always

41 comments

Share your insight

Join an authentic community that helps women support each other at work. Share your professional experience or ask for advice — you can even post anonymously.

41 Comments

Join the conversation

AnonymousMarch 12,2023 at 12:38AM UTC
Anyone else whom works with you who is also always sick within the same setting? Are you in heaithcare?
AnonymousMarch 13,2023 at 9:01PM UTC
People are getting sick but not making the connection. I’m self aware.
AnonymousMarch 12,2023 at 1:09AM UTC
Have you visited with a doctor that’s given you a solid diagnosis? I sense your suspicions about this workplace mystery illness will need to be backed up with more than a hunch for HR to take this seriously.
What’s your desired outcome here? Do you want to be excused from work without eating up sick time, do you want to go on FMLA, move to a new role or get a carve out so you don’t have to go in this one part of your building?
This will be a tough hill to climb since you’ve been there for such a short amount of time. You’re still establishing yourself in this new workplace. Best of luck to you.
AnonymousMarch 14,2023 at 1:14AM UTC
I agree
AnonymousMarch 12,2023 at 2:38PM UTC
Unless you absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this job, I would look for something else. Your health is more important than anything else! And ESPECIALLY if you are getting sick when you go into a specific area of the company.
Not that this helps, but three years ago, I took a job (in a place that fold furniture). A week after I started, I began having asthma issues (I would cough A LOT). With it being the beginning of COVID, everyone kept asking if I was sure I did not have COVID. I would always explain it was asthma. When we went into lockdown, I was let go (via a telephone call - yes). Lo and behold, my asthma cleared up in a week or two, no more issues. Figured out it was dyes in the fabrics or glues used on the furniture, etc. that was setting off my asthma. I actually went back and thanked them for letting me go bc the asthma cleared up!
Even though I was let go, it was the best thing ever bc the asthma cleared up, I found a position closer to my home and am making $10 an hour more than I was at the other place, plus I have an awesome boss!
Take care of your health!
AnonymousMarch 14,2023 at 1:13AM UTC
Thanks. It helps.
AnonymousMarch 12,2023 at 5:35PM UTC
This was happening to a co-worker of mine, and as it turned out, she was extremely allergic to rat urine/droppings. We worked in an old building and they had built a nest in the ceiling over her office. Maintenance did go and clean it out.
AnonymousMarch 14,2023 at 6:07PM UTC
Oh my goodness! If companies would just tell the truth!
AnonymousMarch 15,2023 at 2:20PM UTC
Where did it say the truth wasn’t being told in this comment?
AnonymousMarch 13,2023 at 12:35PM UTC
You say you know it's workplace related. How? What has your doctor said? Are any of your colleagues also sick? Could this be a coincidence that you got some kind of virus or infection right when you started? Was this a stressful transition that may be manifesting this way? You need to get more concrete information before you're able to make any decisions.
AnonymousMarch 14,2023 at 6:09PM UTC
Have you ever had a response to something in one specific environment and no where else?
AyianMarch 13,2023 at 1:34PM UTC
Go to HR and tell them about the area you get sick the most in. Your employer has an obligation to provide a safe working environment, but if there's a problem they don't know about, they can't fix it. If it is possible to do so, get a letter from your doctor and work from home until it has been addressed.
AnonymousMarch 13,2023 at 2:11PM UTC
What proof do you have this is workplace related? Have you seen your physician? Talked to them about your concerns? Do they believe it is workplace related? If so, then go to whatever you have in terms of an employee health and safety manager and report your concerns to them.
AnonymousMarch 14,2023 at 1:12AM UTC
Most companies will not admit it
AnonymousMarch 15,2023 at 5:27PM UTC
This was not about what companies will and won't admit. I'm asking for what feedback she has from her physician.
AnonymousMarch 13,2023 at 3:12PM UTC
I’m a property manager. There are things that can make a building sick and people sick. Mold is a big problem in many buildings and more so in certain geographic regions. The water system can be contaminated with various germs including Legionnaires disease which is often found on water faucets and fountains. Lack of proper air circulation is also a major problem. Get something in writing from your doctor about your symptoms and Report it to HR and the building manager and owner. You may not be the only person suffering with this.
AnonymousMarch 13,2023 at 6:44PM UTC
This is one of the things that funds were supposed to help during Covid - HVAC replacement/update to modern air tech. Was this done? Are the air filters changed regularly? Etc. What were the covid precautions put into permanent place when workers were forced to come back to office. No fix, no return, in my opinion. And, I'd want proof before stepping foot inside.
AnonymousMarch 13,2023 at 9:26PM UTC
i am not sure about air filters, but they do not properly clean.
IntentionGirl299847March 14,2023 at 8:50PM UTC
you probably have environmental allergies at your work. I am allergic to certain cleaning products so they (my work) does not use these in my office. Mask and don't touch surfaces in that particular room
EMILY KIKUE FRANKMarch 15,2023 at 2:18PM UTC
If you're in the US, you can ask for an OSHA inspection (https://www.osha.gov/) but it may be allergies. Dust off your Covid masks and see if wearing one in that area helps.
Sandy EarlMarch 15,2023 at 2:38PM UTC
Mold is top of mind for me here, especially if it's an area that you can identify that would have (a) concrete floors, (b) commercial carpeting, and (c) no heat over weekends. You can ask for testing under OSHA but the test protocols very often don't pick up anything that's "significantly different from background". I'd look for a different work setting if possible. You're basically the canary in their coal mine and that sucks.
JulieMarch 15,2023 at 2:47PM UTC
try wearing a mask at work. It is probably an allergy to a specific thing in the workspace. It is probably within acceptable ranges but you have an allergy.
if the mask isn’t enough try allergy medicine.
But if it continues to make you I’ll you probably need to find a new job.
AnonymousMarch 15,2023 at 2:55PM UTC
Look around and determine what chemicals you may be exposed to at work. Ask to see the Material Safety Data Sheets for those chemicals - this is your right under OSHA. You could be getting exposed to toxic chemicals and/or having a biological response (allergy) to an irritant. Also look/smell for mold. I have personally had some issues with the fumes from unventilated 3-D printers. If you are having issues, you can pursue accommodations through HR.
Kelly GomezMarch 15,2023 at 3:07PM UTC
Definitely find those MSDS sheets and see what you are being exposed to.
AnonymousMarch 15,2023 at 3:32PM UTC
I am an HR pro, and if you believe this is work-related illness then you need to report it, and ask to see a Workers' Comp doctor ASAP. Your Company is obligated to provide that to you, and cannot retaliate against someone for reporting an injury or illness. They will need specifics on the area you identify as the problem, and will probably investigate once they have that information, usually done by a Environmental Health & Safety team member (if you have one). Please report it.
Angela MasonMarch 15,2023 at 3:49PM UTC
Check for mold/allergen exposure.
Stephanie F, MSHRMMarch 19,2023 at 4:47AM UTC
We had mold in our office when we returned from WFH after the pandemic period. We realized that was why most of us always had some kind of sinus issues.
I would also recommend taking vitamin C and allergy pills to see if that helps.
AnonymousMarch 15,2023 at 5:23PM UTC
Not controversial, false.
AnonymousMarch 15,2023 at 5:24PM UTC
If you're going to post something like this, I suggest you quote your legitimate sources. Personally, I am vaccinated and work around mostly vaccinated people in an open office setting and I rarely get sick. My direct family member is a molecular biologist for the FDA who studied at John Hopkins and I learn lots from her and other medical professionals i.e. Michael Osterholm Ph.D. Please share your factual source.
Kathleen HawkinsMarch 15,2023 at 5:30PM UTC
Ask when their air ducts on the central air were cleaned. Mold in the air system can make you very sick.
Karen LytleMarch 15,2023 at 5:55PM UTC
The first thing that came to mind is Legionnaires disease. It is a type of pneumonia caused by legionella bacteria. Legionnaires' disease doesn't spread from person to person. Instead, the bacteria spreads through mist, such as from air-conditioning units for large buildings (which is how it got its name: it was discovered after an outbreak in 1976 among people who went to a Philadelphia convention of the American Legion).
More info here:https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/legionnaires-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20351747
I hope you feel better soon, whatever the cause.
Farah BajwaMarch 15,2023 at 6:07PM UTC
I used to get very lethargic in a previous company and it was brought to my attention that despite them checking the air quality, the building was just old - you could see where dust had collected over the pipes running across the ceiling. It was a manufacturing plant so hydraulic fluid in vapor form was easily in the walls - despite being in the office area I'd go home and my family said I smelled funny.
Now I work from home mostly (fresh air from open windows and natural light from the sun). I notice that when I go to the office and spend more than a couple of hours, I develop that office lethargy and coughing. Try wearing a mask. I noticed it helped a little.
Definitely ask about the air quality. Assuming it makes sense for your job, perhaps also talk to your doctor and get a note from them requesting you work some or all your hours remotely. Or maybe the doctors note at a minimum can allow you to sit in the office someplace that had open windows?
If all else fails, you may need to consider looking for a new job :-/ Good luck and feel better!
AnonymousMarch 15,2023 at 7:47PM UTC
Start documenting every time you go into work into that particular area with symptoms and get photos of the area. Ask other staff if they have had similar symptoms, HR will have to do something about the issue if they are shown this.
KellyW43March 16,2023 at 2:31AM UTC
Report it to HR and meanwhile, take your clorox wipes and wipe down everything before you touch anything. That's going to be the best way to do it. I also take a lot of echinacea and zinc. It seems to block off a lot.
AnonymousMarch 16,2023 at 2:46AM UTC
Try wearing a mask to see if you feel better. I have worked in older buildings where the air quality constantly made me ill. The only relief I had was when I wore a mask.
I wish you the best.
AnonymousMarch 19,2023 at 11:20PM UTC
No relief with the mask. Although it is worn.
Heather BinghamMarch 16,2023 at 1:18PM UTC
I think you initiate an open discussion that is focused on reducing your sick time. If someone came to me in my old days of HR saying "this building makes me sick", I would not be sympathetic, especially if no one else was suffering. However, if someone came and said "I am very concerned about the pattern of my illnesses, I've had far more time off in this new role than I have ever had before, and so I would like some help to understand why this could be the case", then I would have done a very thorough investigation. The difference is that are stating a problem, saying that you're on the right side of wanting to solve the problem and are then leaving space for a range of solutions, rather than just homing in on the solution before the problem has been understood.
I had one year in a particular job where I had laryngitis (or something very similar) 6 times, with at least one day off sick each time. It was because I was sitting in a freezing office under an aircon vent. I had to wear my coat at work, even in summer. I did not handle it very well at the time, but that was some 20 years ago when, frankly, workplaces were a bit tougher. Nowadays no HR person worth their salt will ignore a plea for help from a worker who wants to reduce the amount of time they have off sick, if asked constructively.
AnonymousMarch 16,2023 at 6:51PM UTC
Love it.
Jennifer DanishMarch 19,2023 at 12:31AM UTC
Be sure to talk to your doctor about it and specifically ask about Multiple chemical sensitivity.
AnonymousMarch 19,2023 at 11:19PM UTC
Thank you!
C HMarch 21,2023 at 8:12PM UTC
I would look into mold related illness, MCAS or histamine related illness (these often go together), legionnaires disease, Lyme and vector/tick borne disease, allergies, and mono/chronic Epstein Barr/EBV. Something is definitely going on for you.
I would work with the facilities or workplace person to do some mold testing in that area for starters...could be hidden in the HVAC system. Toxic mold is real.....a whole middle school in my town was shut down cause kids were getting sick in a few of the classrooms....turned out to be mold from new windows being installed incorrectly.