Skyscraper inhabitants more likely to get sick

JAKARTA (JP): At least 85 percent of skyscrapers in the city, mostly those owned by the government, are not well maintained, posing the threat of illness to the users.

Henri S Chandra, from the Building Care Association, was quoted by Antara as saying during a press discussion yesterday that owners of the buildings do not properly maintain them.

According to data at the Municipal Fire Department there are around 400 high-rise buildings in Jakarta.

Henri said most of the neglected buildings are owned by the government. He said that in these buildings, rooms were not properly designed to begin with and, now, they are not being used safely.

Citing an example, Henri said many fire exits and corridors in the buildings are obstructed by piles of papers and other goods.

Besides, he said, the buildings are often manned and filled with goods beyond their safe capacity, a situation which may pose a danger to the buildings's structure and their occupants well being.

Meanwhile, Umar Fahmi Achmadi, head of the Environmental Health Office at the University of Indonesia's (UI) Public Health School, drew attention to the so-called Skyscraper Syndrome. Skyscraper Syndrome consists of a group of diseases suffered by the inhabitants of high-rise buildings. He said that this condition resulted from a lack of maintenance and sanitation in the structures.

The syndrome, he said, surfaced in the 70s in the United States, in the 80s in Japan and in the 90s in Singapore.

"So far there have been no reports about it in Indonesia, nor has there been a survey on it. It is likely that the syndrome has already occurred, considering that the number of skyscrapers are always increasing," said Umar.

Syndrome

The syndrome is evident when a large number of a building's occupants simultaneously suffer particular symptoms, including general malaise, stuffed nose, headache, fever, sore throat, eyes, neck and back injuries, he said.

Fahmi added that piles of paper, curtain, carpet, rays from photocopiers, and smoke from cigarettes help spread the bacteria carrying the disease, which can sometimes be lethal.

Fahmi and Henri called the concerned agencies, including the city administration, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Manpower, to anticipate the syndrome.

The related issue which had earlier surfaced was that around 200 or half of high rise buildings in the city lacked the necessary fires safety precautions.

The fire department has repeatedly deplored the reluctance on the part of building owners to improve their safety systems.

The city administration has worked on a regional law stating that all the buildings must be equipped with the required safety system by 1995. (jsk)