Dry Central Heating Costs UK Economy £200 Million

Dry Central Heating Costs UK Economy £200 Million A report from the TUC warns that the combination of dry central heating and the bugs and germs associated with the winter season is costing the UK economy over £200 million in staff absenteeism.

Rik Prowen, Operation Director at JS Humidifiers, comments, “A dry office environment can be disastrous to workers’ health in the winter. Heating systems drive down the relative humidity, causing the air to suck moisture from any available source – including the nose, throat, eyes, skin and hair of people working in the room.

“This has the double effect of making us feel lethargic and run down due to dehydration, whilst also drying our windpipe and eliminating our natural defences against airborne pollutants. It also affects eyes in the same way, leading to soreness and discomfort. Any office should incorporate an effective humidification system to restore the air’s moisture content to a level in equilibrium with the body, to combat these damaging effects.

“Low humidity is difficult for people to perceive because its effects on the body are chronic, whereas low temperature, for example, is immediately noticed. As a result, the humidifier is often left out when office design is considered, to the detriment of the staff.

“In larger offices with a ducted heating and ventilation systems, steam or cold water humidifiers should be installed in the AHU or ducts. In smaller offices with radiators and localised heating, in-room steam humidifiers or mobile evaporative humidifiers can be deployed easily.

“The effects of low humidity are not widely recognised and the TUC’s “Work Hoarse” report helps draw attention to the issue. It is most welcome as so many people work in dry, unhealthy environments.”

The TUC report emphasises the most at risk categories are workers that rely on their vocal cords, such as call centre workers and teachers. Figures from the report suggest that as many as five million workers in the UK could be routinely affected by voice loss. In any one year “work hoarse” has meant that one in five teachers had to miss school due to voice-related illness – around five times the rate for the UK workforce as a whole.

The report recommends that to reduce the risk of occupational voice loss, an employer should provide a working environment that has a comfortable humidity and temperature level, and control dust and chemicals, as both can inflame the membranes of the vocal tract.

Rik Prowen continues, “CIBSE, BSRIA and BRE generally agree that the appropriate range of relative humidity in an office environment should be around 50%RH, within a typical range of 40%RH-60%RH, a figure endorsed by HEVAC. By maintaining these levels not only are people protected from the immediate effects of dry air, dust and airborne pollutants are also suppressed, reducing the risk of infection.”

JS Humidifiers offers a wide range of humidifiers along with a comprehensive range of services including system design, installation, maintenance and spares for all makes of humidifier.