Unhealthy working environment or not ?

I wonder if anyone on here can help

I work in a relatively small office with one small window

There are 3 or 4 us working in there ( I am there for 6 hours 5 days a week)

Because we deal with the public and have a reception desk the door between the back office and reception has to remain closed (due to confidentiality reasons) as the staff in the back office are taking phone calls.

My problem is because there is no adequate ventilation in the office (except for a small window) the temperature gets very high and becomes like a greenhouse, the manager has provided 2 desk fans which are on constantly on all day, but in my opinion are useless unless you are sat on top of it and then it is just in your face which is not good.

Anyone walking in the office is basically knocked out with the heat.

What my main concern here is the health of the staff....surely the constant churning of air in the same small office is not healthy as the germs in the air are just being circulated and breathed in.

Whether its just co-incidence or not since management insisted on the door being closed I have had a chest/throat problem which is worrying and one collegue is off with a chest infection at the moment.

When we say anything to the management its a case of put up or shut up

they dont give a dam about our health being cooped up in a small office with inadequate ventilation.

We are all sick of it but dont know where to take our complaints.

Any advise would be appreciated from anyone in the know.

Many thanks

I believe recommendations could be suggested but would not to be implemented. Most offices don't have a ventilation system. If your after air conditioning being installed this is not a easy option and other factors need to be considered. In my opinion air conditioning creates more problems then good.

You say that staff go through the door so fresh air does enter the room at selected times. You need to contact the air commission if you think that the conditions are unacceptable, but from what you have said in my opinion they would say the conditions are acceptable.

Thanks for your reply haddy,

I have never heard of air commision, it's worth taking a look

thanks again

Hi Chardonnay, this maybe helpful https://www.tuc.org.uk/workplace-issues/health-and-safety/temperature-work-heat-guide-safety-representatives

thanks very much for that Mister M

that's just the thing I have been looking for but couldn't find

very interesting

thanks again

http://www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/faq.htm

The law does not state a minimum or maximum temperature.

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 lay down particular requirements for most aspects of the working environment. Regulation 7 deals specifically with the temperature in indoor workplaces and states that:

‘During working hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable.’...

.....If a significant number of employees are complaining about thermal discomfort, your employer should carry out a risk assessment, and act on the results of that assessment....

You refer to it as being a "small" office.

It would be worth familiarising yourselves (and maybe your boss) of the guidelines regarding individual working space (11m3 per person).

http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/faqs/roomspace.htm