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Electric Heater Alternatives

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  • 06-05-2020 8:48pm
    #1
    NewNewBird
    Registered Users Posts: 17 ✭


    Would anyone know if it’s possible to get some type of a small battery powered heater, either rechargeable or disposable batteries? Preferably desktop sized. Returned to work in a particularly cold office this week and as it is now May the heating has been switched off. I wouldn’t be allowed to have an electric fan heater due to “fire hazard concerns” (but really running costs concerns) so I’m hoping to find an alternative that is basically “no skin off the bill payers nose”.


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    #2
    Loozer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 168 ✭✭Loozer


    NewNewBird wrote: »
    Would anyone know if it’s possible to get some type of a small battery powered heater, either rechargeable or disposable batteries? Preferably desktop sized. Returned to work in a particularly cold office this week and as it is now May the heating has been switched off. I wouldn’t be allowed to have an electric fan heater due to “fire hazard concerns” (but really running costs concerns) so I’m hoping to find an alternative that is basically “no skin off the bill payers nose”.

    No

    What's the temp in the room?


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    #3
    NewNewBird
    Registered Users Posts: 17 ✭NewNewBird


    Loozer wrote: »
    No

    What's the temp in the room?

    Not the answer I was hoping for. I’ll keep layering up!!
    I have no idea but I went outside for my lunch today “to warm up” so I would think no more than 14°. Stationary job also which doesn’t help.


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    #4
    brightspark
    Registered Users Posts: 2,637 ✭✭✭brightspark


    https://www.hsa.ie/eng/Publications_and_Forms/Publications/General_Application_Regulations/gen_apps_workplace.pdf

    See page 8

    "(b) for sedentary office work, a minimum temperature of 17.5° C, so far as is reasonably practicable, is achieved and maintained at every workstation after the first hour’s work,"


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    #5
    NewNewBird
    Registered Users Posts: 17 ✭NewNewBird


    brightspark wrote: »
    https://www.hsa.ie/eng/Publications_and_Forms/Publications/General_Application_Regulations/gen_apps_workplace.pdf

    See page 8

    "(b) for sedentary office work, a minimum temperature of 17.5° C, so far as is reasonably practicable, is achieved and maintained at every workstation after the first hour’s work,"

    How would I test the temperature in the room itself?


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    #6
    brightspark
    Registered Users Posts: 2,637 ✭✭✭brightspark


    NewNewBird wrote: »
    How would I test the temperature in the room itself?

    with a thermometer?


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    #7
    Steer55
    Closed Accounts Posts: 226 ✭✭Steer55


    Yesterday and today very cold but I think it's set to improve from tomorrow.


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    #8
    NewNewBird
    Registered Users Posts: 17 ✭NewNewBird


    Steer55 wrote: »
    Yesterday and today very cold but I think it's set to improve from tomorrow.

    They were a tad cold but that’s not the problem. Its an old building, I think badly insulated, poor natural light, heat off for the last few weeks etc. Even last summer I don’t think I wore short sleeves a single day. I had just got on with it before but it’s hard to re-adapt after working from home for two months!


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    #9
    Steer55
    Closed Accounts Posts: 226 ✭✭Steer55


    Try and push to carry on working from home, if you managed to do so for two months, there shouldn't be a big issue around it. It's very stressful working in cold environment.


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    #10
    2011
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,596 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    I would buy a small cheap electric heater and plug it in at work.


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    #11
    cruizer101
    Registered Users Posts: 3,205 ✭✭✭cruizer101


    Really the office should be at a temperature that isn't too cold, that said some people some people do feel the cold a lot more so sometimes getting that balance can be hard, though it does sound in your case like it is just too cold.

    What about a heated chair pad, they are quite efficient as you are just heating you and not all the air around you.
    Even just a hot water bottle behind your back might help.
    I find my hands can get cold so have been considering heated mouse pad like this


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    #12
    ercork
    Registered Users Posts: 177 ✭✭ercork


    I think it would really help to measure the temperature over the course of a few days. You can get thermometers in most pharmacies. Lidl and Aldi have them sometimes as well, built into clocks that sit on top of a desk, which might be handy. If you can show over the course of a few days that the temp is consistently at 11 or 12 degrees or thereabouts then that is good evidence to go to your employer and ask for a plug in radiator. If they have concerns over fire safety, fair enough but they should propose another solution that addresses the temp in the room. As per brightspark's post earlier, room temperature is an important factor for welfare in an office environment. If, on the other hand, it turns out that the temp is consistently 18 or 19 degrees then stick with the layering or do 10 press-ups and 20 sit-ups every half hour!


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