Workplace Climate

A workplace climate adapted to workers’ needs will have sustainable, positive effects on their health, performance, satisfaction, and well-being. Climate conditions that are too hot or too cold can cause damage to individuals' health.

Worker on a smelting furnace
© Uwe Völkner, Fotoagentur FOX

Employees are exposed to various physical factors in the workplace. These pages provide information for employers and employees about requirements concerning the workplace climate, the legal situation, and the protective measures that can be taken in response to particular climate conditions.

The air temperatures in workplaces such as offices, retail units, and workshops can rise to detrimental levels in summer, causing employees to suffer from the heat. The consequences of high temperatures in the workplace range from deteriorating performance, declining motivation, fatigue, and poor concentration to increased perspiration and strains on the cardiovascular system. Studies have also demonstrated a noticeably raised risk of accidents occurring when indoor air temperatures are too high.

Further Information

Research Projects

Project numberF 2475 StatusCompleted Project Interactions of indoor climate, noise and lighting in workplaces

To the Project

Research completed

Project numberF 2299 StatusCompleted Project Impact of AmI-based-ventilation and air conditioning machines (RLT) on indoor climate applied on the phenomenon "dry climate" - AmI-based regulation of indoor climate

To the Project

Research completed

Project numberF 2039 StatusCompleted Project Assessment of the thermal stress in working premises where there are elevated outdoor temperatures

To the Project

Research completed

Publications

Search results

Climate Change and Safety at Work

Report 2022

Global Climate Change has many effects: It leads to a warmer climate with growing exposure to heat and solar UV, especially when …

To the Publication

Climate Change meets Occupational Safety and Health

Cooperation 2022

Climate change and its various effects are a challenge for the international community. This also affects the world of work. …

To the Publication

"Dry air" - literature study on the effects on health

baua: Report 2020

A literature study examines the influence of dry indoor air on the aspects of the health of the skin, eyes and mucous membranes …

To the Publication

Smart control of air conditioning systems - Model based and laboratory studies on the impact of indoor climate on the skin

Report 2020

An AmI platform concept (AmI = Ambient Intelligence) was developed based on model and laboratory studies which have analysed the …

To the Publication

Working outdoors - Protecting employees from UV radiation

baua: Facts 2020

Overall, about 290,000 people in Germany get skin cancer every year. The most common cause of skin cancer is UV radiation from …

To the Publication

Agreement of objective measurement and subjective assessment of the work environment regarding climate, illumination and noise

Article 2019

The study at hand tests to which degree employees' judgements of work environment factors match objectively measured …

To the Publication

AmI-based control of ventilation and air conditioning systems and exemplary application to the phenomenon of "dry air"

Report 2015

This interim report covers all activities of the research project: Chances and limitations of AmI-based control of ventilation …

To the Publication

Considering training effects in performance tests - the case of the D2-Attention test

Article 2014

To the Publication

Workplace temperature requirements in the German Workplace Ordinance: revising the rule

Article 2013

The complete article "Workplace temperature requirements in the German Workplace Ordinance: revising the rule" can be downloaded …

To the Publication

Heat strain and performance in offices at elevated outside temperatures

Report 2012

As a consequence of global warming, German office workplaces which have not been exposed to heat so far will be faced with a …

To the Publication