Air - conditioning in open-plan office

[bogmyrtle]

There is also one light switch for the entire office, a light is right above my head, it is too bright
If a desk is not occupied for a while (10 minutes) the light above it goes off
Others who do not sit directly under a light are lucky

Wonder what such a clever system cost

It may be there is a remote control that can be used to adjust the levels of individual lights.
Unless you speak to the health and safety representative you will never know. You don't need to complain as such just have a conversation about what is making it difficult to do your job. It's about you and nobody else.
I'm don't know if you are male or female but it is fact that as females get older they are less able to cope with bright lights.

[freeflow]

Open plan offices are a perennial problem, particularly if the space wasn't originally designed that way. Frequently the AC or lighting doesn't match the current office layout so some individuals get too much and some not enough.

There is also the problem of different people's sensitivity.

I work as a contractor and recently quit a position due to excessive heat in the office I'd been allocated. Yes I did get a fan but only after several requests had been made to the response of 'Its the system, nothing that building management can do'. I only got a fan after I rebelled and installed my own fan. Then I was told I couldn't use it in the office due to electrical safety and with some grumbling I got a work provided fan.

This however only alleviated some of the symptoms as the fan actually made the dehydration worse ( wee the same colour as stewed tea) despite drinking lots.

Obvious solutions like moving office were'nt possible as the site was 'fully occupied'.

So I have great sympathy for the OP. It can be too easy to be tolerant and accomodating to bad conditions for fear of being seen as difficult and then temperamental if you have breakdown moment due when your personal resilience is low.

My recommendation is frequent and polite requests for change BUT these requests must be framed in the context of how you are affected, the impact on your ability to be productive, and the stress you are feeling due to the ongoing situation.

[Cyril Haearn]

I am male actually, proud of my grey beard
The lights were just installed, they have two settings, off (a bit too dull) and on (far too bright, the light is directly above me, but probably ok for my neighbour). If an area is not occupied for a while (10 mins?) the light goes off in that area only

Too hot is awful, in trains for example
Do they want people to travel by car instead, where they can choose their own temperature?
The ac systems in trains break down occasionally, that could soon become a matter of life and death if a full train breaks down out in the country, in a tunnel or on a viaduct

[drossall]

We have some good-natured banter at work. Two of us prefer it cool and one hot. We get people creeping "secretly" to the switch in the "hope" that no-one will notice it going off/on. We end up alternating. It's a significant issue for me, because I find myself nodding off when it gets warm, irrespective of how much sleep I've had, but what can you do when a colleague is freezing in balmy conditions?

[Cyril Haearn]

We have some good-natured banter at work. Two of us prefer it cool and one hot. We get people creeping "secretly" to the switch in the "hope" that no-one will notice it going off/on. We end up alternating. It's a significant issue for me, because I find myself nodding off when it gets warm, irrespective of how much sleep I've had, but what can you do when a colleague is freezing in balmy conditions?

Put more clothes on! Wear a hat! I do that at home to avoid using the heating, doesn't everyone?

You are lucky, I wish I could enjoy good-natured banter with my coworkers

I wonder whether active people like us should work in offices at, what else could we do?
We have someone working outside most of the time doing the gardens, is that even worse in this weather?
Smells interesting out mind, some sheep are grazing nearby

BTW, took the thermometer to work today, it reached 28°+
I hope I can bear it out, raising the issue would probably just cause trouble, I would be told the temperature is fine. I have only been there a couple of months
The weather will break soon anyway

[Cyril Haearn]

I survived the week
The temperature got up to 29°

Spoke to the boss, he said I could try sitting at another desk that is not occupied right now and that the weather would soon get better (September?)
Quite possible that raising the issue will achieve nothing at all or even make it worse, not sure if I am the only one..

Working in an office is like cycle sport, one has to suffer, +1, I enjoyed a free sauna, sweated a lot +2

Bought myself a new used bike for € 150 as consolation, SEVEN gears! Plan is to upgrade my other bike from hub gear to fixed

[Cyril Haearn]

The boss did remind me I could go home early, 15oo, I could do that anyway, but it would be worse than useless, I would have to travel home in the heat and I would have to make up the hours later

I want to work longer on hot days because the weather is so bad for cycling

[roberts8]

Sympathy as I have been in a similar position in a job I hated with aggressive management. My saviour was redundancy which triggered an early retiremement but I had to sign a gagging order. Within two weeks I was on contract visiting sites and felt great. I only had to work 9 months to achieve a good salary so i fitted in lots of sailing, cycling and holidays. This went on for 9 years until full retirement which I love. WORK is truly a four letter word.

[honesty]

I do H&S at the company I work for. The HSE specifies this for temperature. There is no upper temperature at which you don’t have to work but employers have to provide/risk assess the following to provide a comfortable working environment
1. The ability to control direct sunlight (blinds) and not being placing in direct sunlight
2. Free flow of air. Open windows for example. I also quite like the little usb driven fans you can get for this
3. Fresh water and breaks
4. A relaxation of any dress code if it gets really hot

You can see their guidance here:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/thermal/managers.htm

In this case I’d say you’ve got a good argument for fans. If the office is air conditioned then yes windows opened would make it hotter, but only if the air con is working!

[Cyril Haearn]

The airCon is so weak apparently, well-meaning people open the windows early to let fresh air in, then the ac can not regulate the temperature of so many cubic metres of air. Maybe the windows should always be kept closed. Ac is a big con I think, anyone disagree?

Used to travel on air-conditioned trains of a certain type where the air always felt awful
Took a screwdriver to open a window to let the air in, +1!
A serviceperson came along and locked the window shut and said to me: "if you do that again I shall require you to leave the train"
What, did she expect me to cycle to my destination?

Might be better now with DOO, trains without guards

[Freddie]

I agree that anything above about 26c indoors is very unpleasant, especially if it is humid. Here is another suggestion, which may or may not be acceptable at work. Buy one of those squirt bottles that hairdressers use, set to mist and mist your arms and head and hands. This will cool your skin down. Then use a fan to evaporate water (won't take long), then repeat. If you can't use a bottle, use a flannel in cold water.

I imagine your office is probably flanked by windows on all sides and is, thermally speaking, something akin to a greenhouse. You have my sympathies.

[Cyril Haearn]

I agree that anything above about 26c indoors is very unpleasant, especially if it is humid. Here is another suggestion, which may or may not be acceptable at work. Buy one of those squirt bottles that hairdressers use, set to mist and mist your arms and head and hands. This will cool your skin down. Then use a fan to evaporate water (won't take long), then repeat. If you can't use a bottle, use a flannel in cold water.

I imagine your office is probably flanked by windows on all sides and is, thermally speaking, something akin to a greenhouse. You have my sympathies.

Windows only on the west, lots of unnatural light, too bright or too dark
I would gladly buy a fan myself, have it tested and use it at work but I am almost sure that would lead to conflict with colleagues, probably a waste of time raising the matter

When I have something harder to do where I have to think a bit, I really feel how my temperature rises
Trying to keep to simple things where possible

**the brain is a wonderful organ, it starts working when one gets up in the morning, and doesn't stop until one gets to work**

[Cyril Haearn]

Stayed home Saturday and Sunday, not sure sure it was heat exhaustion, I was not really ill, slept a lot, read a lot
Weather much better this morning, fresh
Had to post a letter at lunchtime, chose a postbox further away, had a decent walk, 2km
Tipped a window in the afternoon, the air felt much better
Someone went to close it, I asked him to leave it open, he ignored me. He sits some way away so I opened it again

I fear I might have more time for cycling soon

One good thing: starting to think about & plan retirement, +1