Introduction
Air-Conditioning, Heatpumps
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Working Conditions
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Staff Working Conditions and
Optimum Production



Staff Production and Their Efficiency

It is well understood that staff find it difficult to work efficiently when excessively hot, compared with working in comfortable room conditions.  It is therefore just as much in the employer's interests to maintain good working conditions for the staff as it is in the interests of staff.


Optimum Working Environment

Whilst there is no maximum working temperature laid down by law and employees do not have a right to walk out if their office is too hot (unless there is a serious and imminent danger to health), employers have a duty of care towards their staff and are legally obliged to provide a working environment that is properly ventilated and avoids extremes of heat and cold.

The Health & Safety At Work Act demands that the temperature in workplaces inside buildings must be 'reasonable'.  The Offices, Shops & Railway Premises Act also obliges employers to maintain a 'reasonable temperature'.

The accepted zone of thermal comfort for most kinds of work in the UK lies between 16ºC and 24ºC.  The World Health Organisation recommends a maximum working temperature of 24º C.

The Approved Code of Practice for the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 states "all reasonable steps should be taken to achieve a comfortable temperature".  This code suggests some measures for the hot summer weather, such as insulating hot pipes and equipment, shading windows, providing air-cooling equipment, and using fans to increase ventilation.  It also suggests rest breaks, cool drinks and limiting the amount of time spent in particularly hot areas.

With air-conditioning, an employer can get the most production out of his workforce despite the hot weather.


A 'Cold Going Around the Office'

Air-conditioning systems, properly maintained, provide a clean environment for staff in which they can work efficiently.  We have all heard of a 'cold going around the office' and maybe even 'sick building syndrome.'  That just means stale air, high humidity levels, and viruses passing from one person to the next, sending staff home for 2-3 days to recover.  Even without any air-conditioning, this is quite normal in an office environment. If one added up the cost of those missing staff, and compared it with the cost of installing an air-conditioning system to clean and condition the room air, it would reveal a short payback period for the business owners.

Additionally, with the threat of a swine flu pandemic increasingly with every news bulletin, this calculation has even greater importance for a business.


Where does the Dirt Come From?

Dust comes from the skin, hair, and clothes or can be brought in on one's shoes or blown in with 'fresh air.'  Mildew, fungus and moulds can come in along with the dust.  Another important factor is that the survival rate of the influenza virus greatly increases as humidity levels increase above 50%.


Tacking the Problem

An air conditioning system is a real benefit, not just in providing comfortable room conditions, as regards temperature, but also holding humidity levels down, and filtering out dust, smoke, bacteria, viruses, mould, fungus, mildew and gasses from the room air.  Without such an air-conditioner, the dirty air circulates around the office, passing from one occupant to the next, until all in the staff in that room breathe the same dirty air.

Room Units are fitted with high performance filters, which trap small dust, particles and pollen as small as 0.01 microns and prevent the propagation of bacteria and viruses.  The filter eliminates mould spores and bacteria and deactivates viruses.  Other filtering features are available too.

Thorough and regular maintenance is also important to maintain the high standard of cleanliness in the occupied areas.  (See our webpage on Maintenance.)

We can also offer portable air-purifier units, which are ideal additions to any office to boost the cleanliness of an office. (See our webpage on Air Purifiers.)

When reviewing your offices conditions, take account of these benefits and ensure that your staffs are given the benefit of a clean environment in which they can safely and efficiently work, and the business benefits through reduced staff absence through sickness.


Today


We are ready and waiting to help you with any air-conditioning requirements you might have.  Telelphone: 01342-31497 and ask for our Technical Manager. 

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