The effects of moderate heat stress and open-plan office noise distraction on SBS symptoms and on the performance of office work

摘要

Three air temperatures (22/26/30℃) and two acoustic conditions—quiet (35 dBA) or open-plan office noise (55 dBA)—were established in an office. Thirty subjects aged 18-29 years (16 male), clothed for thermal neutrality at 22℃, performed simulated office work for 3 h under all six conditions. Many more (68% vs. 4%) were dissatisfied with noise in the noise condition (P < 0.01). Warmth decreased thermal acceptability (P < 0.001) and perceived air quality (P < 0.01) and increased odour intensity (P < 0.05) and stuffiness (P < 0.01). After 2 h, some forehead sweating was observed on 4, 36 and 76% of subjects (P < 0.001) at 22, 26 and 30℃, while 0, 21 and 65% felt "warm" (P < 0.001). Raised temperature increased eye, nose and throat irritation (P < 0.05), headache intensity (P < 0.05), difficulty in thinking clearly (P < 0.01) and concentrating (P < 0.01), and decreased self-estimated performance (P < 0.001). Noise increased fatigue (P < 0.05) and difficulty in concentrating (P < 0.05) but did not interact with thermal effects on subjective perception. In an addition task, noise decreased workrate by 3% (P < 0.05), subjects who felt warm made 56% more errors (P < 0.05) and there was a noise-temperature interaction (P < 0.01): the effect of warmth on errors was less in the noise condition. Typing speed (P < 0.05) and reading speed (P < 0.05) were higher in noise.