Cold, damp, dusty room at work

[Coughingandsnuffling]

Just that really - I love my job (school admin) otherwise, but the room I work in (mainly on my own) is freezing, dusty and damp. I am not allowed to bring in my own heater for H&S reasons and there is no central heating in there. I can dust it till kingdom come, but nobody hoovers it at night. I can't hoover it as the hoover is locked away till the cleaners come in and anyway, that really isn't my job. I have an actual job to do during working hours.

I am now quite ill with a bad, chesty cough and I'm sure it's related to that room.

I've asked for more heating. After about 8 months they finally fixed the single wall heater in there, but it's up really high and doesn't really put out any heat.

Wwyd? Shall I just look for a new job or should I kick up a fuss about the working conditions?

Schools can be great places to work but ime nothing gets done quickly, especially for just one admin, as there is so much more to worry about.

They are all so nice about my work and love me being there but I don't know how much they value me if they stick me in that freezing room all the time. It is the only place I can do my work due to the equipment in there, so I get it but it's so cold and unhealthy in there. It didn't used to be in this location, but it moved there before I started. Now thinking this is why my predecessor left!

I am in UNISON, so don't know whether to contact them or just look for something else. Tbh the pay is a lot better elsewhere.

Excuse the rant - TL;DR - room at work is cold, damp and dusty. Should I look for a new job as it is making me ill?

I know you mentioned re bringing in your own heater but if you have it pat tested (or brand new) surely they’ll be ok with that?

Although you shouldn’t have to work in those temperatures. I know in my previous place we had to close if it dropped below 16.

Here you go, found this www.gov.uk/workplace-temperatures

Thanks - it is because of a lot of paper being stored in there, which they think would become a bit of a tinder box if anything went on fire (it would tbf...but not sure how a heater would make it spontaneously combust, but maybe it would?)

So I don't think it is due to PAT testing. A colleague was going to give me hers (belonged to the school already) and they said I couldn't have it

Well done for being in a union. Now, use it! Ask them and see what they think. It won't stop you leaving, if that's what you decide to do.

Definitely talk to your union. There are minimum acceptable temperatures for workplaces. In your case, I think the damp is most worrying, combined with low temps there could be mould (you won't necessarily see it) that is adversely affecting your health.

Thanks @AudiobookListener. I am going to do that I think.