Health and Safety - Is everyone entitled to a Window?

Mrs_Doyle

Ok, I know that title to this thread might sound a little odd, but its a genuine question.

For the last few months I have been based, along with another girl, in a cabin pack office, that has no windows.

It wasn't really an issue for me at first, but now both of us have had flu like symptoms for about 2 months, and we're starting to think its because of our office conditions.

We have also found that we're very tired in the afternoons, and suffering from head aches, etc.

In an ideal world we would be based in an office with a window, but I'm wondering if that is something we are actually entitled to.

I would plead my case with the head honcho's if I thought it was an actual entitlement.

Does anyone know anything about this?

Thanks,

Audrey

zoemax

You are not 'entitled' to a window under saftey legialtion. What the legislation requires is that 'Places of work shall as far as possible receive sufficient natural light and be equipped with artificial lighting adequate for the protection of employees safety and health.'. So if the office has no windows then adequate artifical lighting must be installed.

The fact that the symptoms occur in both of you in the afternoon almost definitely means that it is working environment related. I assuem that on the wekkends the symptoms ge better and reappear on a Monday?

When you say 'cabin pack office' do you mean a portacabin?

The symptoms you mention could be caused by a number of factors (assuming that there are no chemicals in use in the room):
1. Excessive carbon dioxide if ventilation is poor - unlikely if there are just two persons in the room
2. Excessive carbon monoxide - very likely if a fuel buring appliance is located in the room
3. Ozone exposure - comes from photocopiers mainly so if there is a large one running continiously then can be a problem
4. Relative humidity - if the RH is less than about 30% then symptoms like you describe can occur, especially dry throats, dry noses, coughs, etc
5. Temperature - excessive temperature can be a problem
6. Cheap furniture - if cheap furniture is in use in the room and the ventilation is poor this can cause problems as lots of cheap furniture emits VOC's and formaldehyde

What do you do in this room? If you give me more details I can perhaps come up with a more probable cause (I have lots of professional experience in this area:) )

Mrs_Doyle

Wow, thanks for that!

Yes, I meant to say Portacabin

We both work in admin, so it basically involves sitting at our desks for 95% of the working day, doing accounts, data entry, etc.

Its a small enough room, but I doubt it could be described as 'too small'.

We have 2 desks, 2 computers, 2 phones and then several filing cabinets.

I have a desk top fan, but that's it.

No other means of ventilation as far as I can see.

monkey junkie

Take a 5 minute break outside every hour. You're supposed to do that anyway when using computers...

zoemax

You should have a floor space of approx. 4.5sqm each, including the space taken up by your desk and chair, but excluding other office furniture.

Look at your computer workstation set up. It should look something like this, otherwise problems including the symptoms you describe can arise http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg36.pdf

Have you had your eyes tested recently, your employer is legally required to pay for a 'single vision eye test' if you use a computer for more than approx. 1hour per day.

The fan may not help by drying the air and reducing the relative humidity. Try working without the fan if you can or else stick in a cheap humidifier to see if that helps.

dame

zoemax wrote:

The fan may not help by drying the air and reducing the relative humidity. Try working without the fan if you can or else stick in a cheap humidifier to see if that helps.

Or even just leave a bowl of water out. A shallow wide bowl would be best. The water will evaporate easier from that.