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Abuse of Air con in the office and low temperature - help!

  • 29-08-2013 10:15AM
    #1
    0210ania
    Closed Accounts Posts: 40 ✭


    Hi, I'm working in open plan office and there is 1 air con control for all office.
    The problem is that over section where i seat and 2 of my other colleagues (and few other people) there is 3 places where air is coming from and in 2nd part of the office there is only 1.

    Their part is getting warm all the time (as also they are all the time on the move- so they are turing it on for 19 degrees and after 10 minutes our part is freezing cold.
    They have little ventilators but they still turining air con on.
    We understand that they are not comfortobale so to be fair we keep it on for an hour or so. But when it's getting really uncomfortable we go to turn it off - only to see them after 10 minutes turing it back on.

    It's really frustrating as we are freezing and one person from our team suffer from nose bleeds because of the dry air from air-con.

    We are thinking of brining this issue to human resources, but what can we really expect? and we would like ti know what is opinion of people 'from outside'?
    Any suggestion that we can bring to HR ..and what's really our rights in here?


Comments

  • #2
    Kazujo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 614 ✭✭✭Kazujo


    I think this would fall under workplace health and safety as it affects your working environment.

    They may be able to move or cover up the vents in your area or possibly rearrange the office so the warm people can be closer to the AC


  • #3
    Irish_Elect_Eng
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,260 ✭✭✭Irish_Elect_Eng


    We had a similar issue in our office, the key is to take the conflict out of the issue. A simple solution is to hand the issue over to facilities or an air-con contractor to solve your issue.

    If that is too expensive, the simple solution would be to close of 1 or two of the vents in your area. then when the air-con is on both areas are at approximately the same temp.

    In situations like this in an office where people work in shirts etc. I tends to take the side of those that are too warm, where it is not possible to take any more clothes off. if one part of the office is cooler,it is easier to put some clothes on.

    Approximately 18 degrees is the best temperature for the office, much warmer and people become less effective.


  • #4
    Chessala
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 263 ✭✭Chessala


    As our HR department told us recently, by law the temperature in the office should be between 19-21 °C, no more, no less.

    I've worked in a n open plan office and have been on either side ...too hot and too cold. If you feel too cold, make sure to have a jacket/pullover/blanket that you can wrap up in if you are cold. If you are one of those people breaking into sweat, make sure to not dress too warm for the office.

    Take it to HR, the employees shouldn't be the ones going around constantly changing temperature. It's NOT good for the computers in the room as condensation can occur and damage computers.

    Also, take a thermometer into work with you to monitor it. If it drops below 19, inform HR and keep a log about it. Unfortunately moving air from air conditioning feels colder than it actually is, I found myself shivering more than once when there were 21 in the office (and I do get hot rather fast).

    Some of the chronic sweaters in our office got a desk fan to keep themselves cool, why not suggest that? Or why not switch places if possible? In either case it looks like your office could need an SC revamp.


  • #5
    John Mason
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 10,661 ✭✭✭✭John Mason


    we have a similar problem in our office expect it is in relation to windows, they wont allow the air con to go on.

    the draft from the window comes right down on me and no-one else.

    i solved the situation by bringing a big fleece in the winter i add a hat and fingerless gloves and termal underwear.

    But i also bought a desk fan, for the summer then i gets stuffy


    i am happy and as are the other peole


  • #6
    pow wow
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,288 ✭✭✭pow wow


    For offices the minimum acceptable temp is 17.5 degrees, and generally air con controls can't go any lower than 18.0 degrees. You stated in your first post that your colleagues set the controls to 19.0 degrees.

    Are closing the outlets on your side of the office or requesting a change of desks out of the question? The colleague suffering from nose bleeds needs to raise that with a manager/HR.

    Link to official guidance in relation to temperatures


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  • #7
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,016 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    Chessala wrote: »
    As our HR department told us recently, by law the temperature in the office should be between 19-21 °C, no more, no less.

    Did you ask them for a link to the law concerned? I would like to see that please ...


  • #8
    0210ania
    Closed Accounts Posts: 40 ✭0210ania


    Thank you guys for the opinion.

    Looks like in many places there is this same problem...difficoult to keep everyone happy.
    It's just so frustrating because it feels like there is only few people making efford to keep everyone happy and rest is doing just to pelase themselves.:(

    Mrs OBumble see below for the link
    pow wow wrote: »
    Link to official guidance in relation to temperatures


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