Work Improvement for Safe Home - International Labour Organization

Work Improvement for Safe Home
66
Chapter 4 Physical environment
CHECKPOINT 21
Increase natural ventilation by having more openings, windows or open doorways.
BENEFITS FOR HOME WORKERS
Small home workplaces with poor ventilation
can easily accumulate heat and polluted air.
Many home workers spend many hours a day
in an indoor climate. Both home workers and
their family members will be adversely aff ected.
A poorly ventilated environment is especially
harmful to older people and children.
When it is hot, increase the natural air fl ow.
More openings, windows and doorways increase
natural ventilation and make home workplaces
comfortable and pleasant. Th ese practical
improvements are possible at low-cost. You will
be surprised at the positive eff ects on health and
productivity.
HOW TO IMPROVE
1. Walk around your home workplace and
check if natural airfl ow is suffi cient. Listen
to the voice of other home workers. Relocate
work-stations and tables to the areas with a
better natural airfl ow.
2. If existing airfl ow is insuffi cient, increase
the number of openings, windows and open
doorways. Consider the direction of the wind
and sunshine to get the maximum positive
eff ects of the new openings and windows.
3. Another possible way is to make existing
windows larger.
4. Open windows regularly and frequently.
5. Use electric fans for the work areas where
suffi cient natural airfl ow is not secured.
WAY TO PROMOTE COOPERATION
Plan ways to increase natural airfl ow with your
workmates and neighbouring home workers.
Th ere are many opportunities for cooperation,
for example, removing unnecessary materials
that block airfl ow, making more openings in
the wall and enlarging windows, etc. Visit other
home workplaces and look at how natural
airfl ow is secured.
SOME MORE HINTS
■ Make small openings in the roof. Natural
upward airfl ow will release heated air through
the openings.
■ Existing windows and doorways might be
blocked in your home workplace. If so,
remove obstacles to better air fl ow.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
Natural air fl ow provides comfortable
work environments by taking away heat
and polluted air.