Worker perception in relation to workplace comfort-an evaluation in metalworking industry

The workplace environment can be evaluated based on thermal comfort, which is defined as the satisfaction expressed when a human subject is exposed to a given thermal environment. This evaluation implies a certain degree of subjectivity, which requires not only the analysis of the physical aspects of the environment, but also the subjective aspects associated with the state of mind of the individual. This study aims to assess the subjective aspects related to thermal comfort of workplaces in an industrial metalworking multinational, based on the perception of their occupants. The data were collected using a questionnaire. The results show that the `influence of air temperature' is determinative in the responses of the 'sensation of thermal comfort' and the 'workplace occupant satisfaction', demonstrating an association among these three aspects.