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Publication - Advice and guidance

Respiratory infections including Coronavirus (COVID-19): ventilation in the workplace

Last updated
12 September 2023 - see all updates
Part of
Building, planning and design, Business, industry and innovation, Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Scotland, +2 more … Health and social care, Public safety and emergencies

Guidance for employers on improving ventilation and the the supply of fresh air into the workplace.

This document is part of a collection

Legal requirements, specialist support and advice

Compliance with health and safety, fire regulations and building regulations 

It is important that while following this guidance, your building continues to comply with existing health and safety, fire safety and building regulations.

Achieving optimum airflow by opening windows or doors must not contravene duties in the above regulations and put staff or customers at increased risk.

Equally, with increased ventilation, thermal comfort of building users must also be considered, and advice should be sought on the appropriate ambient temperatures for different environments. This includes a legal requirement to maintain a reasonable temperature in the workplace.

Links to relevant regulations and guidance can be found at:

Specialist support and advice

Employers can access general advice and guidance on risk assessment, prepared by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

In support of this, The British Occupational Hygiene Society created a COVID-19 risk matrix for employers.

There is also sector specific guidance available for ventilation in schools that can apply equally to many offices and workplaces.

The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), in recognising the challenges the cold season brings for building managers trying to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission, have developed COVID-19 guidance on ventilation, including the optimum use of HVAC strategies for buildings.

CIBSE have also provided detailed COVID-19 guidance on ventilation, underpinned by expert advice, on working safely while living alongside Covid. This guidance is updated frequently as new evidence emerges on the transmission of coronavirus and should be regularly reviewed to support the safe conducting of business.

HSE have produced useful examples of practical steps that can be taken to improve ventilation in different types of workplace settings.

Contact

Email: covid-19.policy@gov.scot

First published
18 December 2020
Last updated
12 September 2023 - show all updates

  1. Updates to title and throughout.

  2. Update to mechanical ventilation.

  3. Updated links to Health and Safety Executive website on 'Natural ventilation' and 'Overview'.

  4. Updates to Mechanical ventilation and Air cleaning technology.

  5. Taken out of archive and updated.

  6. Updated to reflect current situation

  7. Updated to reflect current situation.

  8. Updated to reflect current situation.

  9. A few amends to reflect impact/reccomendations due to Omicron variant

  10. Minor update to amend link in overview.

  11. Poster summarising good ventilation advice added.

  12. Updated guide to include need for winter vigilance and information about ventilation fund for SMEs.

  13. guidance updated to reflect current position.

  14. Reviewed by policy team and still current.

  15. Revised the layout and text to make it clearer.

  16. First published: December 18, 2020 at 1:08 PM.

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