Proper control of the environment in call centres is very important.  Working practices such as '24/7' (24 hours per day, seven days per week) occupancy and layout  changes are much more common in call centres than in typical offices, and the effect of these on the environment should also be covered in the risk assessment.  Responding to seasonal variations in terms of heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and lighting etc should also be addressed as well as the maintenance programme for the environmental conditions control system and the cleaning programme for the office furnishings and equipment.  The cleaning regime for workstation equipment should be particularly strict if call handlers are required to hot-desk.  The introduction of any change to any aspect of environmental conditions which may substantially affect call handlers' health and safety should be made in consultation with call handlers or their representatives in good time.

User Comments: There were a large number of complaints about workstations not being clean.  This was particularly in connection with hot-desking and previous users leaving litter behind.  

Guidance: For mechanical ventilation systems, the recommended minimum fresh air flow is eight litres per second per person in no smoking areas, and air velocities should be around 0.1 to 0.15 metres per second and up to 0.25 metres per second during the summer¹⁴.  Air flow velocity greater than 0.25 to 0.35 metres per second would be considered draughty.  Call handlers should be provided with information on the potential risks of poor control of environmental conditions and should be trained to recognise the symptoms if these conditions arise. 

Good Practice

• Have a clear and easy procedure for reporting unacceptable environmental conditions. Respond to complaints promptly and take them seriously. Give the complainant feedback on the results of any investigations and the reason behind any subsequent actions or decisions.
• Make disinfectant wipes available so call handlers can clean their keyboards or other workstation equipment as required.

Occupancy issues: 'Twenty-four/seven' occupation is common practice for call centres, and the environmental conditions control system should be designed to cope with the demands engendered by this level of occupancy.  The distribution of the occupancy within the building can change dramatically depending on the shift, and the environmental conditions control system should be designed to make the appropriate adjustments or allow the occupants to make adjustments. 

Problems with environmental conditions may arise if a building is only designed for a specific number of occupants and amount of equipment.   If no allowances are made for expansions in the workforce, the environmental conditions control system may not be able to compensate for the additional occupants and equipment and the air quality, temperature and relative humidity may become unacceptable. 

Layout:  Open-plan offices are a common feature of offices and are popular with companies operating call centres, as the layout is flexible.  For example, re-organisations of teams can be easily reflected by re-organising the layout of the workstations.  If this has not been anticipated in the design of the environmental conditions control system, problems may arise such as new privacy screens interrupting airflow and leading to pockets of stagnant air.

Air quality: Regulation 6 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 (WPR) requires that all workplaces, including offices should be ventilated with either fresh air from outside or re-circulated air that has been adequately filtered and purified.  This is to ensure that stale, contaminated, hot or humid air is removed, so workers do not suffer ill health effects such as tiredness, lethargy, headaches, dry or itchy skin and eye irritation.  Adequate ventilation is particularly important in call centres, as the high concentration of employees and high level of occupation increase the risk of airborne pollutants and irritants.  These, in turn, increase the risk of sickness absence, as bacteria and viruses can cause colds, and dust can irritate the throat and lungs which may contribute to voice problems or trigger asthma.   Adequate ventilation also reduces the risk of allergic reactions from volatile organic compounds (VOCs).   VOCs are released by certain glues, paints and carpets, and, with such rapid growth, many call centres are in buildings that have been recently constructed or refurbished, and these materials may have been used. 

User Comments: There were many comments on the inadequacies of air-conditioning systems.  Many call handlers were frustrated that the windows in their office would not open, although they did appreciate that open windows also result in draughts and traffic noise as well as fresh air.

Temperature:  The high concentration of employees and the high level of occupation also increases the risk of uncomfortably high temperatures.  In addition, the computers which can be in use '24/7' also generate heat.  If the temperature is dropped in unoccupied areas of call centres to save energy, the occupied areas are at risk of becoming too cold.  This may be of particular concern on night shifts when a slightly warmer environment is likely to be required to compensate for the natural fall in body temperature.  These factors must be properly controlled so an acceptable temperature is maintained. 

Legal Requirements: Regulation 7 of WPR requires that 'During working hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable.' A reasonable temperature for a call centre will be around 19^oC.  It is not just air temperature that must be considered to achieve this level of thermal comfort: Relative humidity, air movement, number of people in the workplace, equipment and solar gain also need to be considered to ensure comfortable thermal conditions.  Air temperature should be measured with an ordinary dry bulb thermometer, close to workstations, at working height and away from windows, taking into account any localised effects of sunlight and radiant heat from office machinery.  A sufficient number of thermometers should be distributed throughout the work area to allow employees to monitor the temperature.  The provision of fans or heaters can help alleviate localised problems.

User Comments: The majority of the comments were about the variability in temperature: Too cold in the morning then too hot in the afternoon; too hot during the day but too cold at night; too cold in some parts of the building but too hot in others.  Although some offices were reported as airless, call handlers did not want ventilation to be draughty either. 

Relative Humidity:  The risk of low relative humidity is high in call centres.  The greatest risk is from the large number of computers, which, as already stated, can be generating heat 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and this can dry the air to unacceptable levels.  Low relative humidity can lead to dehydration which, in turn, can contribute to sore eyes, voice loss and headaches.  Skin rashes may also appear.  Unlike other physical stressors such as noise or temperature, people do not generally appreciate the impact of relative humidity on physical health and comfort so tend not to ascribe problems that they are experiencing to relative humidity levels. 

Guidance: Relative humidity for an office should be between 40% and 70% with the lower end being the most comfortable in warmer offices.  Employees should be provided with information on the risks of low relative humidity and their potential effects on physical and mental well-being and how to reduce these risks.

User Comments: A small number of comments were passed about humidity and how dry the atmosphere was in the call centre.  

Good practice

• Tea and coffee are diuretics so can exacerbate dehydration. Encourage call handlers to drink plenty of water or caffeine-free soft drinks instead.
• Position a sufficient number of cold water fountains throughout the call centre so water is available near workstations.

Lighting:  Lighting requirements may differ depending on whether call handlers are only operating DSE or whether they have to consult and complete paperwork too, but, under Regulation 8 of WPR, 'Every workplace shall have suitable and sufficient lighting.' Most people prefer to be in an environment with some natural light, and Regulation 8 of WPR demands that 'lighting ...  shall, so far as is reasonably practicable, be by natural light.' Often, though, windows in call centres are covered by blinds to reduce glare.  The frequency spectrum of the light source should also be considered as some are easier on the eyes than others.  Lighting requirements for night shifts may also differ from those for the day shifts, and the contrast between the screen and the background office lighting levels must also be considered.

User Comments: A number of participants enjoyed being able to look out of windows, but, for the majority, the blinds had to be closed to reduce glare on the screens and some regretted this.

Good practice:

• Consult call handlers about the type of lighting and the level of lighting they would prefer (obviously, the final choice has to meet legal requirements)
• Provide a rest room with adjustable lighting so call handlers can dim the lights if they so wish.

Space:  As with a typical office, it is common practice to accommodate additional new staff by re-arranging the office.  However, many call centres have rapidly expanding workforces, and managers should regularly review whether they are meeting regulations by accommodating new staff in this way or whether additional space is required. 

Legal requirements: To comply with the regulations (Regulation 10 Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations), call centres should have enough free space to allow people to get to and from workstations and to move within the call centre with ease.  The total volume of an empty area divided by the number of people normally working in it should be at least 11 cubic metres (ceilings higher than 3m should be entered into calculations as 3m).  The workstation and basic storage facilities are included in this volume so, depending on the style and size of the workstation and storage facilities, additional space may be required to ensure there is sufficient space for the work activity to be undertaken without risking safety or health.  It is unlikely that additional space will be required for the majority of call centre workstations.

User Comments: There were a number of comments about the lack of space in call centres and reports of workstations being too close together and chairs being in the way.  (HSE)