Pollen in an Office Work Environment

bipedalhumanoid

I have q question regarding the legal requirements for a work environment.

I get hay fever so bad that the incessant sneezing has destroyed my ability to hear. My stapes in both ears are broken and in recent years one of my two prosthetic stapes also broke, puncturing my inner ear, and damaging my hearing further.

Despite my various protestations, my employers insist on openning windows in the office rather than using the prefectly functional air conditioning units we have installed.

I'm looking at the Health Safety and Welfare at work act, and it seems ambiguous as to whether allowing dangerous pollen spores into an office is allowed.

I'm looking at Regulation 6: Ventilation of enclosed places of work. Section d says:

"any deposit or dirt likely to create an immediate danger to the safety and health of employees by polluting the atmosphere is removed without delay."

Do I have any rights here?

VonZan

bipedalhumanoid wrote: »

I have q question regarding the legal requirements for a work environment.

I get hay fever so bad that the incessant sneezing has destroyed my ability to hear. My stapes in both ears are broken and in recent years one of my two prosthetic stapes also broke, puncturing my inner ear, and damaging my hearing further.

Despite my various protestations, my employers insist on openning windows in the office rather than using the prefectly functional air conditioning units we have installed.

I'm looking at the Health Safety and Welfare at work act, and it seems ambiguous as to whether allowing dangerous pollen spores into an office is allowed.

I'm looking at Regulation 6: Ventilation of enclosed places of work. Section d says:

"any deposit or dirt likely to create an immediate danger to the safety and health of employees by polluting the atmosphere is removed without delay."

Do I have any rights here?

Unfortunately not. There is no obligation on the employer to remove or prevent pollen in the office or to enforce them to do so.

Can you discuss this with anyone else in the office? A badly maintained AC unit can be far worse for your health.

bipedalhumanoid

I find it astounding that the legislation goes so far as to explicitly protect the comfort of office workers — insisting on a minimum air temperature and protecting workers from cold air currents — and yet does nothing to protect the health of people with respiratory illnesses from far more severe health risks.

Outside of that, you'd think employers would actually want to protect the health of their staff, if for no other reason, to reduce sick leave.

whippet

bipedalhumanoid wrote: »

I find it astounding that the legislation goes so far as to explicitly protect the comfort of office workers — insisting on a minimum air temperature and protecting workers from cold air currents — and yet does nothing to protect the health of people with respiratory illnesses from far more severe health risks.

Outside of that, you'd think employers would actually want to protect the health of their staff, if for no other reason, to reduce sick leave.

in my experience the vast majority of people I have worked in offices with would prefer open windows to any AC unit. In fact many people complain about the AC units.

You obviously have a medical condition and the question should be how could your employer reasonable account for your condition without affecting the rest of the work place? How do you function when outside, in your own home, shops etc …

bipedalhumanoid

whippet wrote: »

in my experience the vast majority of people I have worked in offices with would prefer open windows to any AC unit. In fact many people complain about the AC units.

Most offices don't even have opening windows.

whippet wrote: »

You obviously have a medical condition and the question should be how could your employer reasonable account for your condition without affecting the rest of the work place? How do you function when outside, in your own home, shops etc …

10% of the population suffers from this medical condition and it doesn't only affect us, it affects anyone with any kind of respiratory illness, such as Asthma. Furthermore, with the very high pollen counts we've had in the last few days, I know people who have never suffered previously who are now exhibiting symptoms.

Diesel particulates are exacerbating the problem, bonding with pollen spores to create super-allergens. This has resulted in a large number of people like me who only started suffering from it late in life. Before the EU started encouraging people to drive diesel cars, I and many others like me had never experienced hay fever symptoms.
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/hay-fever-sufferers-warned-of-super-pollen-in-cities-34619038.html

I cope with it at home by not opening windows. When I have to go outside mid-may to July, I do so during low-pollen hours (middle of the day / after dark) and time-limit that exposure. I drive, rather than walk to places utilising the pollen filters in my car.

It's not that difficult, but it's all undermined if I have to spend 8-9 hours in an office where pollen is in the carpet and in the air.

.......

This post has been deleted.

ohnonotgmail

bipedalhumanoid wrote: »

It's not that difficult, but it's all undermined if I have to spend 8-9 hours in an office where pollen is in the carpet and in the air.

have you tried a hay fever mask? I work with somebody who uses one and it makes a huge difference to them.

.......

This post has been deleted.

ohnonotgmail

....... wrote: »

Do you have a link to something like that?

My husband cycles and at a particular time of year he developed chest issues - must be whatever pollen comes at that time - he could use one for cycling.

It is something like this one.



https://www.allergybestbuys.co.uk/products/respro-allergy-mask


He isn't around so i cant ask him the exact model.

.......

This post has been deleted.

Eggs For Dinner

Sorry for your troubles OP, but I have the opposite problem. My co-workers insist on (mis)using aircon 12 months of the year at ridiculous settings and I'm done in by mid-afternoon with headaches etc. The air out of aircon is very unhealthy IMO

bipedalhumanoid

....... wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Many times over the years. There is not an antihistamine on the market that does anything for me. I take them anyway from mid-April to mid-August, just in case my symptoms would be worse without them. But they do not prevent me from experiencing severe symptoms.

My only options are to avoid pollen and histamine in food. I keep windows closed, run HEPA filters, dry clothes indoors, wash my face a few times a day and I have a HEPA respirator mask. I don't drink alcohol, I have anti-allergen bed clothes etc.

The weak link in the chain is the 8-9 hours spent in the office and the HEPA respirator mask just isn't enough to prevent exposure in a full blown open window situation where I'd may as well be sitting outside. Pollen still gets in my eyes, on my clothes, hair etc. So the moment the mask comes off I'm exposed.

bipedalhumanoid

I use this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-Pollution-Respirator-Motorcycle-Activities/dp/B07BDD7TCS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1528898577&sr=8-3&keywords=hepa+respirator+mask

It's not just a mask, it's a respirator with an active fan to suck clean air into it through a HEPA filter.

whippet

bipedalhumanoid wrote: »

Many times over the years. There is not an antihistamine on the market that does anything for me. I take them anyway from mid-April to mid-August, just in case my symptoms would be worse without them. But they do not prevent me from experiencing severe symptoms.

My only options are to avoid pollen and histamine in food. I keep windows closed, run HEPA filters, dry clothes indoors, wash my face a few times a day and I have a HEPA respirator mask. I don't drink alcohol, I have anti-allergen bed clothes etc.

The weak link in the chain is the 8-9 hours spent in the office and the HEPA respirator mask just isn't enough to prevent exposure in a full blown open window situation where I'd may as well be sitting outside. Pollen still gets in my eyes, on my clothes, hair etc. So the moment the mask comes off I'm exposed.

Going by your posts .. its seems like you have an exceptional sensitivity to pollen and it would be very unreasonable for an employer to have to facilitate this extreme case at the detriment to others.

bipedalhumanoid

Eggs For Dinner wrote: »

Sorry for your troubles OP, but I have the opposite problem. My co-workers insist on (mis)using aircon 12 months of the year at ridiculous settings and I'm done in by mid-afternoon with headaches etc. The air out of aircon is very unhealthy IMO

At least you have the law on your side. There are specific provisions in the Act to protect you from an office environment that is colder than 16 degrees C and from drafts caused by air conditioning.

bipedalhumanoid

whippet wrote: »

Going by your posts .. its seems like you have an exceptional sensitivity to pollen and it would be very unreasonable for an employer to have to facilitate this extreme case at the detriment to others.

It might affect people to varying degrees but hay fever and respiratory illnesses affect a hell of a lot of people and can result in death.

You're suggesting that the health and safety of these people is less important than the comfort of the proportion of people in the office who feel it's nice to open the windows.

I'm not suggesting a large scale development project tearing down walls and installing specialised equipment. For no cost to any employer we could protect the health and safety of more than 10% of the population by closing windows and running air conditioning for 2 months of the year.

.......

This post has been deleted.

.......

This post has been deleted.

ohnonotgmail

bipedalhumanoid wrote: »

I use this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-Pollution-Respirator-Motorcycle-Activities/dp/B07BDD7TCS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1528898577&sr=8-3&keywords=hepa+respirator+mask

It's not just a mask, it's a respirator with an active fan to suck clean air into it through a HEPA filter.

thats the one i was thinking of.

listermint

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

thats the one i was thinking of.

Its the same guy!!

ohnonotgmail

listermint wrote: »

Its the same guy!!

what?

bipedalhumanoid

....... wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Not sure how that works given that Air Con pulls air in from outside. As long as the filters are kept clean.

BTW normal Air con doesn't remove all pollen, because those filters are not HEPA filters, but they do reduce it.

....... wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

95% of pollen allergies come from one kind of pollen, grass pollen, which is a problem form mid-may to early August.

....... wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

I don't have one, I've just been seeing my GP and he hasn't suggested referring me to a consultant. I'll look into it.

....... wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

I'm put on steroids each time the hay fever leads to a respiratory infection (at least once a year). I haven't been prescribed them outside of that situation.

Sleeper12

bipedalhumanoid wrote:

I'm looking at the Health Safety and Welfare at work act, and it seems ambiguous as to whether allowing dangerous pollen spores into an office is allowed.

Pollen isn't dangerous. It's perfectly safe.

Like me you have an allergy to pollen. The term allergy itself means that we have an unusual reaction to something totally harmless.

You have as much right to insist on the AC being used as someone with a peanut allergy can insist that there be no peanuts be allowed on the premises.

On a more positive note there is a new treatment for hay-fever. So new you will have to tell your doctor about it. Basically you take a high dose of pollen under tongue daily all year round. Because its under the tongue you won't produce histamine yet it builds your tolerance to pollen. When summer comes along the pollen you breath in will be less than you are used to all year round so you won't produce histamine. I'll be taking to my own doctor next visit

Eggs For Dinner

bipedalhumanoid wrote: »

At least you have the law on your side. There are specific provisions in the Act to protect you from an office environment that is colder than 16 degrees C and from drafts caused by air conditioning.

And do you think that has any standing whatsoever when your muffin top wearing co-workers complain that "they're freezing"? The law does not work in an office environment.

.......

This post has been deleted.

heretothere

Dymista is amazing!! It's the only thing that works for me during summer you will need a prescription for it, and it's expensive but completely worth it.

I'm really surprised your doctor hasn't sent you to a consultant. The way you describe it your symptoms are extremely bad! My doctor sent me to a consultant years ago. If they won't refer you to one I'd be changing doctor and soon.

.......

This post has been deleted.

AlanG

OP - You may want to look into Helminthic Therapy if you have tried everything else. It may sound a bit disgusting but can't really do much harm as most of the worms used would have been in humans for thousands of years. There is evidence that it works on some people so you may be one.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-hookworms-cure-hayfever-180955516/

TallGlass

How come Dymista isn't over the counter, which active ingredient is regulated?

It's good, but I don't like over relying on medication and sometimes I go a few days without it.

Many I take a tablet a day and it keeps it away, however the last few days I seem to have a bit of a head cold.

I was watching a program on Netflix, think it was about the nuts industry and how allergens are causing problems to the industry. They where saying something along the lines of, because our lives are becoming more cleaner and our immune systems are not fighting against the usual suspects previously, viruses etc.. They are now moving down the chain and targeting these foreign bodies in the system, like the proteins from grass, peanut etc.. (now that is give or take a bit of scientific facts here or there).

But it is a massive pain in the head literally.

Leaving Cert and this is an over reaction I know but the month of that test should be changed as I honestly think some students will be not at there best due to the weather.

Maybe ask your employer if you can work from home, say you'll get a note from the doctor.

Corkgirl18

What about getting pollen screens for the open windows? Not a solution but it might help.