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Stuffy room - asthma trigger?

Polzovatel profile image
10 Replies

In the last few weeks I cannot stay for more than a couple of hours in the stuffy rooms - as our office is very stuffy , I cannot stay there for the whole day, keep booking half days off and have to go outside every hour.

Is it a typical asthma trigger ? Could it be something else?

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Polzovatel profile image
Polzovatel
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10 Replies
ChrissieMons profile image
ChrissieMons

Yes, it could be a trigger. There are various Health and Safety regulations about air quality and temperatures at work and you should have an H&S rep who can advise you. If you can open a window, then do, but if everything is sealed and you depend on air con, then you need to speak to your rep or your line manager about it. Best of luck!

Polzovatel profile image
Polzovatel in reply to ChrissieMons

Hi,

I called facilities a few times , they only measure temperature and conclude that it's within the range.

And also nobody else in the office has any issues or they are just not willing to admit .

The windows are sealed , the office is one of the greenest in the country , so everything is recycled ..,

People think now more about recycling, not air quality and employes welfare .

ChrissieMons profile image
ChrissieMons in reply to Polzovatel

Oh dear! In that case, I should have a word with the Asthma UK nurse. She may have some better ideas than I have!

WheezyAnne profile image
WheezyAnne

I had exactly the same problem, and my Asthma got worse. I would ask work to get you a fan. One of the little USB ones are enough just to keep the air moving a little. Do people wear strong perfumes? Do the cleaners use smelly aerosol sprays? You can ask for them not to. I ended up going for an occupational health assessment, but I also have COPD, and was retired early as work could not make anymore reasonable adjustments.

Polzovatel profile image
Polzovatel in reply to WheezyAnne

Hi Anne, Do you feel better in a cooler room/ outside ?

I feel a bit better in the morning, but it gets progressively worse.

Does prednisone help - I have an emergency pack and cannot decide if I should start it. I finished another prednisone course a month ago - it didn't help much

WheezyAnne profile image
WheezyAnne in reply to Polzovatel

Yes, I do feel better in cooler rooms. I can't stand hot stuffy rooms. I carry a little USB battery fan in my bag all the time. Prednisolone is not the answer for stuffy rooms. A lot of it is to do with the humidity or sometimes the dryness of the air can be a problem, which is where a water spray might help. I have been much better since I stopped working in the hot stuffy office. You will need to try and keep cool. Wear loose fitting cotton clothes. Take your shoes or sandals off while sitting down in the office, and you will feel a little cooler.

Katt-37 profile image
Katt-37

The first thing I think of is mold. Do you have a mold allergy? Mold can be in the walls, therefore not visible. Maybe get environmental health in to check it out.

Polzovatel profile image
Polzovatel

Out office building is fairly new - 2 years old. Is there any other tests for mold allergy apart from the prick test? I had prick allergy tests a couple of years ago and they were fine

Matti1 profile image
Matti1

Like people have said it's stuffy due to heat, people's breathing, coughing sneezing. I tried office working related to nursing and asked for reasonable adjustments Equality Act, as I found I had 3 USB fans but they wanted OH Assessment who agreed but it didn't happen so I left. The cleaner said air conditioning was never cleaned. I would ask for a larger fan under the equality act as a reasonable adjustment. I emailed equality and advisory service but they refused despite occ health backing me. Mould is less likely in new buildings but air conditioning should be cleaned. I tried to take them for constructive dismissal as they didn't adhere to equality act but I didn't have good case only there 6 months and struggled to breathe. Lots of people's coughs, droplets in the air, and as someone said perfumes etc. It was the heat work me and no windows opened and 3usb fans didn't help!!

Atom1 profile image
Atom1

I have the same problem. A stuffy room anywhere and I seriously struggle. Any ideas to help. Nasal sprays?

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