Premium
The effects of moderate heat stress and open‐plan office noise distraction on SBS symptoms and on the performance of office work
Author(s) -
Witterseh Thomas,
Wyon David P.,
Clausen Geo
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
indoor air
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.387
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 1600-0668
pISSN - 0905-6947
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0668.2004.00305.x
Subject(s) - open plan , noise (video) , audiology , traffic noise , thermal comfort , psychology , medicine , intensity (physics) , heat stress , eye irritation , workload , eyes open , zoology , physical therapy , anesthesia , irritation , noise reduction , meteorology , engineering , acoustics , physics , balance (ability) , civil engineering , artificial intelligence , biology , computer science , immunology , image (mathematics) , operating system , quantum mechanics
Three air temperatures (22/26/30 degrees C) and two acoustic conditions-quiet (35 dBA) or open-plan office noise (55 dBA)-were established in an office. Thirty subjects aged 18-29 years (16 male), clothed for thermal neutrality at 22 degrees C, performed simulated office work for 3 h under all six conditions. Many more (68% vs. 4%) were dissatisfied with noise in the noise condition (P < 0.01). Warmth decreased thermal acceptability (P < 0.001) and perceived air quality (P < 0.01) and increased odour intensity (P < 0.05) and stuffiness (P < 0.01). After 2 h, some forehead sweating was observed on 4, 36 and 76% of subjects (P < 0.001) at 22, 26 and 30 degrees C, while 0, 21 and 65% felt "warm" (P < 0.001). Raised temperature increased eye, nose and throat irritation (P < 0.05), headache intensity (P < 0.05), difficulty in thinking clearly (P < 0.01) and concentrating (P < 0.01), and decreased self-estimated performance (P < 0.001). Noise increased fatigue (P < 0.05) and difficulty in concentrating (P < 0.05) but did not interact with thermal effects on subjective perception. In an addition task, noise decreased workrate by 3% (P < 0.05), subjects who felt warm made 56% more errors (P < 0.05) and there was a noise-temperature interaction (P < 0.01): the effect of warmth on errors was less in the noise condition. Typing speed (P < 0.05) and reading speed (P < 0.05) were higher in noise.