WORKING CONDITIONS;

NOISE, ILLUMINATIONS
AND OTHERS
By: John Kenneth V. Ereso
Working Condition
 Working conditions refers to the working
environment and all existing circumstances affecting
labor in the workplace, including job hours, physical
aspects, legal rights and responsibilities.

 The environment in which one works, as influenced

by factors such as cleanliness, levels of noise,
lighting, equipment, paid overtime,
uniforms, access to amenities, etc.
Examples of Working Conditions
 Equipment
 Lighting/Illumination
 Temperature
 Office décor and layout
 Noise
Examples of Working Conditions
 Equipment
Desks, chairs, computers, telephones, chainsaws,
ladders, drills -- whatever equipment you use to run
your business -- are a large part of working conditions.
It is important that you have ergonomic equipment and
safety measures to meet your responsibility as a small-
business owner or manager. Not only will proper
equipment and safety regulations protect your
employees from injury (and yourself from liability), they
should also help increase productivity and efficiency.
Equipment
Examples of Working Conditions
 Lighting/Illuminations
Lighting is an important component of working
conditions. Not only does it help your employees see
what they are working on, it also serves as an
atmosphere creator. Bright lights may assist with seeing
text or detail work but can also produce a glare on
computer screens and cause eye fatigue depending on
placement. Insufficient light can result in inaccurate
work, headaches and other vision problems as well as
discouragement and inefficiency.
Lighting/Illumination
Lighting
Examples of Working Conditions
 Temperature
According to a study sponsored by the Helsinki
University of Technology and the Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory, most productive work is done
at approximately 22.22 degrees Celsius. The
"comfort zone" for most people is between 22.22
and 23.89 degrees. This is also a safe zone since it
prevents working in extremes of temperature. Since
comfort zones do vary between individuals, do your
best to accommodate as necessary.
Examples of Working Conditions
 Office Decor and Layout
Office decor may not rank high on many people's
lists as a working condition, but colors, architecture and
other features of office design and layout do affect
people psychologically. Painting walls with bright colors
can add energy and define spaces, while neutral colors
and accessories can help create a calm atmosphere for
a high-stress business. Other considerations in decor and
layout include partitions, storage space (filing cabinets
or cubbyholes), office furniture, window treatments and
wall hangings.
Examples of Working Conditions
 Noise
Prolonged exposure to harmful noise levels can
cause permanent hearing loss.
The higher the sound levels and the longer the
exposure to them, the bigger the risk of hearing loss
and the more severe it is. The scientific
understanding is that exposure to a sound level of
no more than 80 dB(A) for eight hours per days is
still barely safe.
Noise