The correct evaluation of the microclimate for an ergonomic and safe workplace

In Italy, pursuant to Legislative Decree 81/08, the employer is obliged to assess all the risks to which workers are exposed. In this decree law, for the microclimate, there are few indications on how to carry out the assessment. No precise reference limits are set but it is only recommended to adapt the environmental conditions to the physical effort carried out, the parameters that need to be measured and with which instruments and who can carry out the measurements and therefore the related assessments are not specified. The technical reference standard is instead well established and proposes evaluation indices that take into account the heat exchanges between the human body and the thermal environment and allow to prevent discomfort or even damage to health. However, it is necessary for the evaluator to use these indices correctly to avoid underestimating risky conditions. This work aims to provide a guide to those who are preparing to evaluate the thermo-hygrometric conditions of a workplace. The assessors must choose the path based on the activity carried out in the workplace and its physical characteristics, using the measurement equipment required by the technical regulations and verify its reliability. An incorrect assessment can make people underestimate the discomfort which is often associated with a lowering of the level of attention and therefore a predisposition to accidents, or it can expose workers to serious health risks.