Approaches to the Evaluation of Thermal-hygric Microclimatic Conditions in Selected Manufacturing Organizations

Attention was paid to the theoretical and empirical aspects of the evaluation of the thermal-hygric microclimate parameters of the working environment and their impact on the employees. The evaluation included questionnaire research, which involved two main areas: 1. Thermal-hygric microclimate conditions in the workplace; 2. Health problems of employees related to workplace conditions. The research was participated in by 200 employees working in manufacturing mechanical engineering organizations. The entry criterion for inclusion in the data set was the good health of the respondent, not suffering from serious health problems. The results of the evaluation showed that there is a statistically significant dependence between some of the monitored characteristics: between the age of the employee and the occurrence of monitored health problems (headache, feeling cold, spine pain), as well as between the work done and the satisfaction with the humidity of the workplace or with a feeling of dry nasal mucosa. The results of the questionnaire survey also showed a significant dependence between the type of manufacturing organization and the thermal and humidity conditions in the workplace or the occurrence of respondents’ health problems. In addition, a moderately positive relationship was found between thermal-hygric microclimatic conditions and the feeling of fatigue and headaches (or feeling of cold symptoms, spinal pain, and dry nasal mucous membrane). When evaluating the questionnaire research, statistical methods were used to monitor categorical dependence.