In a busy office environment, ensuring you and your employees are comfortable means a more productive working environment. There’s nothing worse than having to work in the baking, sweaty heat, so having proper air conditioning is a no brainer.
There are however, certain guidelines and new legislations you might not be aware of that you need to ensure your business is sticking to. If you fail to meet these guidelines you may not only find yourself in hot weather but in hot water with the authorities.
R22 Legislation
New environmental laws mean that certain gases harmful to the ozone layer are now illegal to use. R22 is a refrigerant gas that was used across the UK and EU as a popular and effective refrigerant in Air Conditioning units; however, this gas is a Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC), in other words one of the gases damaging to the atmosphere when released.
The reality is that you must invest in new Air Conditioning units that do not use this gas to stay on the right side of the law; or if your current units are ten years or older you need them checked for R22 and replaced immediately.
The silver lining to this is by investing in new units, they will be more efficient, cost effective and above all safe. You can find a great range at a reliable retailer like Pure Air Conditioning that can advise and support you in your choices, whether you are buying or repairing.
Checking for Leaks
You also need to have your units checked regularly in accordance with Health and Safety. Any owner/user of Air Conditioning units needs to stick to and provide evidence of regular organised checks and for leakages of potentially damaging substances.
The regularity of these checks is also dependant on the amount of refrigerant used in the system; the lower the number of kilograms the less often it will need checking. If operating on an industrial scale it can be as often as every three months.
Energy Output Inspections
The other inspection that needs to be carried out is for systems with a cooling output of more than 12kw. These safety and efficiency inspections must be within five years of one another to satisfy the Energy Performance Buildings Directive (EPBD).
The Bottom Line
Air Condition is a must for any busy office or work environment and the small amount of effort it takes to ensure you are in line with the proper legalities will pay off massively when you’re making the most of a cool and comfortable workplace.
