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muttywhitedog

muttywhitedog

Retired Rock Star 5.5.14
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My section currently has the use of two adjoining offices. One is open-plan and very light. The other is small and completely lacking in natural light.

I am in the process of being railroaded into being permanently moved (along with one other member of staff) into this office so that another individual can move into the open-plan office. The rationale behind this is that some of my work involves welfare matters and that the open plan office is not a place to conduct business.

I am dead against being forced into working from something akin to a dingy broom cupboard yet I am being presented with a fait accompli. I dont feel that an office with no natural light and no airflow is an acceptable place for two people to have to permanently work from.

Is there anyone out there in the know who could provide me with anything from a H&S perspective about whether this is ok, or is it just a case of "Put Up & Shut Up", which is largely what I have been told so far.
 
Was it designed as an office originally ?
Are there any 'Elf 'n' Safety implications (ventilation, emergency escape in time of trouble, etc.).
 
ForgottenName said:
So who is working from that office now?
Click to expand...

Its supposed to be mine, but since taking up appointment I have worked in the main office as I find the thought of working in there utterly depressing. There are enough desks for me as my Cpl is OOA. When she returns, there would still be enough desks as one of the Civil Servants is due to retire in October and is not being replaced.

Its the addition of this extra section that has thrown a spanner in the works. The person from this other section (equally) doesnt fancy working in such an environment.
 
Ex-Bay said:
Was it designed as an office originally ?
Are there any 'Elf 'n' Safety implications (ventilation, emergency escape in time of trouble, etc.).
Click to expand...

Thats why I came to the goat - I dont know whether there are rules regarding H&S and working in offices devoid of aircon and natural light. I googled it and all I came up with was the general concensus that its not good for your health - I know that!
 
Does your station not have a H&S Bod you can chat too? they normally wear a highviz vest and carry a clipboard around ;)
 
muttywhitedog said:
My section currently has the use of two adjoining offices. One is open-plan and very light. The other is small and completely lacking in natural light.

I am in the process of being railroaded into being permanently moved (along with one other member of staff) into this office so that another individual can move into the open-plan office. The rationale behind this is that some of my work involves welfare matters and that the open plan office is not a place to conduct business.

I am dead against being forced into working from something akin to a dingy broom cupboard yet I am being presented with a fait accompli. I dont feel that an office with no natural light and no airflow is an acceptable place for two people to have to permanently work from.

Is there anyone out there in the know who could provide me with anything from a H&S perspective about whether this is ok, or is it just a case of "Put Up & Shut Up", which is largely what I have been told so far.
Click to expand...


Pfft you wanna think youself lucky..... my office is in an old concrete bunker with no windows big horrid lights stuck in front of a computer all day for 12 hours at a time (well it has been of late with ellamy). Winter time is the worst. Come to work in the morning and it's dark..... leave at night..... and it's dark! 3 months of no week day daylight! :( Still saying that am really going to miss it here.
 
Mutty, had a similar situation some years ago with regards to the lighting. H&S man reviewed and the office was fitted with 'Natural daylight' strip lighting. it did however have forced air ventilation so i was a bit better off than you except for the constant droning of the ventilation system.
 
I think you'll be hard pressed to find a H&S reason not to work there. So long as there is adequate light to allow you to do your job (ie you're not working surrounded by candles) then it's tuff t!ts mate.

The spooks spend the majority of their careers in buildings with no windows, so artificial light and forced air all round. If they can make us do it for 3 years at a time, I don't think you'll be able to 'reason' your way out of it.

I hate so say it, but the only response you're likely to get is

"DRY YOUR EYES, PRINCESS, AND GET BACK TO EFFIN' WORK!"

Sorry!
 
Is there no way you can stay in the open plan office and just use the broom cupboard when you have to talk face to face with someone ref welfare. Sort of use it as a comfy room???
 
I think you will struggle, as long as it meets the minimum lighting levels, the office furniture meets the right British standards, the office is laid out in such a way to give the minimums access gaps, and all the Information Assurance aspects are met, there will be no problems at all. If you need air circulation, they can get you a fan. If they cannot get your office to meet the minimum illumination levels, they can give you supplementry desk lighting to help out. There are lot's of little get outs if the SCIDA's, and H&S bods can find, if they look into the correct BS books. Before someone mentions we use JSP's, The JSP 480 points to the British Standards for the normal workplace enviroments. Like offices etc.
 
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no pleasing some people, shut the door load the porn and get cracking :PDT_Xtremez_14:

Seriously I doubt air con is a priority for elf n safety nor is natural light. I had the same problem a few years ago working for Leeds City council and the H&S couldn't help, fortunately the place burn't down and they included windows in the rebuild. So saying my bosses weren't impressed with the H&s response and were going to change things before the fire as some report or other concluded lack of natural light was bad your health.



wonder how miners deal with it?
 
Just tell them to go and shove it where the sun don't shine. How else are you ment to keep an eye on the troops.
 
I read that Guide as the little vents in the top of an Inner corridor room do indeed cut the mustard and the use of a fan is a personal option.

The trouble is that this guide only states the rules and does not/can not interpret them for any given situation. Interpretation is up to the management! And (unless I have this wrong?) the management is not likely to do much investment in HSE at this particular time.

If you think your office is too small you could apply the minimum desk usage measurements - but even they are quite depressing once you find how small they are.

As an act of desparation you could claim to have Claustrophobia or some other illness?
 
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