Workplace microclimate assessment: how to ensure well-being, safety and productivity
A proper workplace microclimate assessment is one of the most important elements in ensuring health, comfort and optimal performance for workers. That is precisely why it is essential to rely on expert professionals to carry out accurate measurements and propose effective interventions.
What the microclimate is and why it is important to assess it
The microclimate is the set of indoor environmental conditions of a workplace: temperature, relative humidity, air velocity and thermal radiation. In enclosed or partially confined spaces, these parameters significantly affect workers’ subjective perception of comfort and, in many cases, can pose a health risk.
The workplace microclimate assessment is a technical and regulatory process that makes it possible to analyse indoor conditions objectively and scientifically, determining whether they are compatible with operators’ well-being and safety.
When the microclimate is not adequate, symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, difficulty concentrating and physical discomfort can appear, ranging from simple colds to genuine heat-stress-related conditions. That is why it is essential to act promptly and in a targeted way.
Regulatory references: what Legislative Decree 81/08 says
According to Legislative Decree 81/2008, the microclimate is one of the physical risks to be assessed within the Risk Assessment Document (DVR). Although the decree does not contain a specific title devoted exclusively to the microclimate, it refers to international technical standards (UNI, ISO) and good operating practices for identifying and managing the risk.
Therefore, every employer is obliged to:
Assess the microclimate as a potential physical risk agent
Adopt prevention and protection measures
Regularly monitor environmental conditions
The law requires that the workplace microclimate assessment be carried out through reliable instrumental measurements, performed by qualified personnel and with certified instruments. This guarantees objective results and makes it possible to define the level of risk for workers precisely.
How the microclimate assessment is carried out
The microclimate assessment is based on a series of environmental surveys that make it possible to determine specific indices able to express numerically the level of comfort or discomfort in a given environment.
The procedure involves the use of professional instruments such as microclimate data loggers, equipped with calibrated and certified probes, able to measure:
- air and surface temperature
- relative humidity
- air velocity
- thermal radiation
The data collected are then processed with specific software that calculates indices such as PMV (Predicted Mean Vote) and PPD (Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied), valid for moderate environments, or WBGT (Wet Bulb Globe Temperature), better suited to severe environments or those with high thermal loads.
The analysis also takes into account the characteristics of the environment (size, type of activity carried out, number of people present, ventilation or air-conditioning systems) and external weather conditions, in order to provide a complete and reliable picture.
What are the benefits of a workplace microclimate assessment
Besides being a regulatory requirement, the workplace microclimate assessment offers numerous operational and organisational benefits. A properly climate-controlled environment makes it possible to:
- improve workers’ productivity
- reduce the onset of occupational diseases
- lower stress and fatigue levels
- avoid penalties or disputes in the event of inspections
- optimise the efficiency of technical systems
Moreover, data collection makes it possible to identify any critical issues and plan targeted structural or management interventions, avoiding energy waste and unnecessary costs.
When the assessment is needed
- in the event of changes to heating, cooling or ventilation systems
- after structural work that may alter air distribution
- when workers show signs of discomfort
- following particularly significant external climate variations
- if health surveillance reveals symptoms attributable to heat stress
To ensure a truly representative assessment, it is advisable to carry out two measurement campaigns, one in summer and one in winter, in order to verify the functionality of the systems in both seasonal conditions.
Who can carry out the microclimate assessment
Only qualified technicians can carry out an effective, compliant workplace microclimate assessment. It is essential that these professionals have specific training, use approved instruments and are able to interpret the data collected consistently with the type of activity carried out in the monitored environments.
For example, at S.T.A. we use latest-generation portable microclimate data loggers, which allow us to accurately measure all the parameters needed for a complete diagnosis. Our technical staff, made up of workplace safety experts, produces detailed reports and proposes concrete solutions to improve the thermo-hygrometric comfort of offices, laboratories, warehouses, production and commercial spaces.
What a professional microclimate consultation includes
A professionally carried out workplace microclimate assessment service includes numerous activities, each designed to provide a complete and operational overview of the situation. In particular:
- preliminary analysis of the premises and company processes
- instrumental surveys with certified data loggers
- comparison with the reference technical standards (UNI EN ISO)
- calculation of comfort indices and analysis of the results
- drafting of a detailed technical report
- proposal of corrective or improvement measures
- integration of the results into the company DVR
All these phases are carried out in close collaboration with the employer and the persons responsible for company safety, so as to ensure a shared and fully effective process.
Request information
Rely on expert professionals and certified instruments for a precise, transparent and conclusive analysis. If you want to explore the topic further or plan a measurement campaign, our team is ready to offer you personalised technical consulting, always in full compliance with the regulations and with the aim of providing healthy, safe and comfortable working environments.