Indoor Environmental Factors Research Articles

Prevalence and risk factors of pre-sick building syndrome: characteristics of indoor environmental and individual factors

BackgroundWith the aim to prevent sick building syndrome and worsening of allergic symptoms, primarily resulting from the indoor environment, the relationships among people’s residential environment in recent years, their lifestyle habits, their awareness, and their symptoms were investigated using an online survey.MethodsIn the survey, respondents experiencing symptoms specific to sick building syndrome, although they were not diagnosed with sick building syndrome, were categorized in the pre-sick building syndrome group. The relationships among individual characteristics, residential environment, and individual awareness were analyzed.ResultsResults showed that the prevalence of pre-sick building syndrome was high among young (aged 20–29 years) population of both sexes. In addition, “condensation,” “moisture,” “musty odors” in the house, and the “use of deodorant and fragrance” were all significantly associated with pre-sick building syndrome. Conversely, there was no significant association with recently built “wooden” houses that are highly airtight and have thermal insulation.ConclusionsEfficient “ventilation” plans and “ventilation” improvement and air conditioning systems to prevent mold and condensation in rooms are necessary to maintain a good, indoor environment that is beneficial for health. Efforts should also be made to encourage individuals to regularly clean and effectively ventilate their homes.

Conclusion and recommendations

This research provided insights into the comfort and energy-consuming behaviours of home occupants and into grouping these home occupants based on their individual differences. This was achieved by using a human-centered approach to an engineering challenge, by assuming comfort as a holistic experience of the home environment, and by treating the ‘occupant-environment’ interactions as a dynamic system. Such an approach drew methods typically used in design and ethnographic research, by gathering both qualitative and quantitative data from both the occupant and the building. The occupant data was collected quantitatively with the use of a questionnaire (self-reported) and qualitatively with interviews (procedural knowledge) and finally with generative techniques (interpretive knowledge). In such a way, different types of occupant knowledge were elicited and collected. The building data was gathered with checklists, monitoring, and energy readings. With the questionnaire data and a clustering technique -the TwoStep cluster analysis- five distinct types of occupant, or archetypes, were discovered and they were progressively enhanced and substantiated with the interview and generative techniques data. Additionally, data of building characteristics, indoor environmental factors, and actual energy consumption completed the details of the archetypes. The following paragraphs provide the conclusion and recommendations drawn from this research. First each of the key questions are answered followed by the answer to the main research question; in which the final description of the archetypes is presented. This is followed by the strengths and limitations of this work and recommendations for the future process. Then for each archetype, environmental design parameters are presented. This finishes with recommendations for future research and the implications of this work.

ON PROPOSALS FOR ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS TO SANITARY-EPIDEMIOLOGICAL REQUIREMENTS TO LIVING CONDITIONS IN RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS AND PREMISES

Residential buildings and premises must comply with sanitary rules and regulations, but a lot of provisions of sanitary and epidemiological requirements for living conditions contradict Federal legislation and do not provide for the regulation of public relations arising in the process of ensuring sanitary and epidemiological well-being of population at all stages of arranging residential buildings and premises, therefore they require updating. International, national regulatory legal acts of a number of countries, regulatory legal acts of Russian Federation, establishing sanitary and epidemiological requirements for living conditions in residential buildings and premises, research studies carried out in Russia and abroad were used as research materials. A set of general scientific research methods: analytical, system-structural, comparative was a procedural basis of the study. Widening of the scope of sanitary standards and rules: extension of responsibility for compliance with the requirements of the document to the executive authorities, expanding the list of objects prohibited for allocation in residential buildings, measures to ensure a barrier-free environment for the disabled, requirements of inadmissibility of residential building destruction by mold, and others were suggested as the results of the study. Due to the fact that the problem of fresh air is common, the design indices of air and air exchange rate are proposed. Recommended changes regarding noise regulation assume the elimination of contradictions when correction coefficients are applied. Conclusions. Analysis of current sanitary and epidemiological requirements enabled to specify indoor environmental factors of the living space, originating from an interaction of outdoor environment, indoor environment of the living space and direct effect of the human himself and on which favorable living conditions depend, and elaborate on the reasons of violations of the established requirements. Suggested changes and additions corresponded to the main trends existing in international practice are aimed at specifying the provisions of the document, optimizing a number of standards, and eliminating contradictions. It is noted that regulation and monitoring of dwelling condition cannot be limited just by the indoor premises of the building. It is necessary to consider the living environment as a united system: human - residential unit (apartment, room, and auxiliary facilities) - building - surrounding grounds- microdistrict - residential area of the city.

Indoor air concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) in multiple healthcare facilities.

This study evaluates indoor air concentrations of CO2, NO2, and O3 and their relationship to other indoor environmental factors in facilities with occupants susceptible to air contaminants, such as hospitals, senior specialized hospitals, elderly care facilities, and postnatal care centers. Indoor air samples were collected from 82 indoor facilities in South Korea and organized by region. Spearman's correlation and Kruskal-Wallis analyses were employed to examine the relationship among and differences between contaminants in the indoor facilities and indoor/outdoor differences of NO2 and O3 concentrations. Significant correlations were found between CO2 and NO2 concentrations (r2 = 0.176, p < 0.01), as well as NO2 and O3 concentrations (r2 = - 0.289, p < 0.0001). The indoor/outdoor concentration ratios in the indoor facilities were 0.73 for NO2 and 0.25 for O3. CO2 and NO2 displayed the highest mean concentrations during spring, while O3 displayed the highest and lowest mean concentrations during fall and summer, respectively. The calculated hazard quotient (HQ) for NO2 was higher than the acceptable level of 1 in postnatal care centers, thus posing a health risk for children. Study results indicate that efficient ventilation is required to reduce indoor contaminants in multiple healthcare facilities. This study provides a novel approach toward health risk assessment for indoor facilities with susceptible occupants on a large geographical scale.

Interactions and comprehensive effect of indoor environmental quality factors on occupant satisfaction

In this study, eight subjects were exposed in a simulated office to 31 combinations of indoor environmental conditions, assigned by orthogonal design and uniform design. Conditions comprised variations of Predicted Mean Vote (PMV), illuminance, sound pressure and CO2 concentration (independent of a consistent ventilation rate) as indicators of thermal, lighting, acoustic and indoor air quality. Participant satisfaction with each of the four factors and with overall environmental conditions were measured with a questionnaire. Multiple interactions were detected with a partial correlation analysis and regression analysis. Results showed an adjusted effect of illuminance on perceived acoustic environment, a significant effect of the thermal environment on indoor air quality satisfaction, and a slight effect of sound pressure on indoor air quality satisfaction. Linear and geometric mean regression models were investigated for predicting overall satisfaction from the factor satisfaction scores. For the linear model, it was determined that multicollinearity among factor satisfaction levels may result in non-significant and biased estimated coefficients. The geometric mean regression model provides better prediction accuracy than the linear regression model with fewer coefficients, and accounts for the finding that the lowest satisfaction level with any environmental factor appears to drive overall satisfaction.

Association between early life indoor environment factors and prevalence and onset of asthma/allergic disease among preschool children in Taiyuan

TPS 752: Respiratory effects and allergies, Exhibition Hall, Ground floor, August 27, 2019, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Background: Indoor environment factors can influence asthma and allergic disease in preschool children but few studies are available on associations between early life exposure and incidence/remission of children’s disease in their early childhood. Methods: Data on children’s symptoms and home environment factors were collected from questionnaires completed by parents of children from 10 kindergartens in Taiyuan, China. Binary logistic regression models and reduced regression models were used to analyze associations between indoor environment factors and children’s symptoms (wheeze, rhinitis and eczema). Results: Visible mold [OR=1.60(1.24, 2.07)], window pane condensation [OR=1.22(1.02, 1.47)], moldy odor [OR=1.90(1.34, 2.87)], air dryness [OR=1.40(1.15, 1.71)] and stuffy odor [OR=1.53(1.24, 1.88)] were associated with prevalence of rhinitis. Visible mold [OR=1.53(1.12, 2.11)], air dryness [OR=1.42(1.11, 1.83)] and stuffy odor [OR=1.58(1.23, 2.04)] have association with prevalence of wheeze. Stuffy odor [OR=1.39(1.03, 1.88)] and pets [OR=1.73(1.20, 2.49)] have association with eczema in the first 2 years. Comparing the prevalence of children’s symptoms in the first 2 years and last year, visible mold [OR=1.51(1.08,2.91), 1.63(1.22,2.18), 1.92(1.13,3.24)], air dryness [OR=1.78(1.39,2.28), 1.46(1.18,1.81), 2.10(1.37,3.21)] and new furniture or renovation [OR=1.37(1.07,1.75), 1.31(1.07,1.61), 1.65(1.08,2.54)] have positive associations with the onset of children’s wheeze, rhinitis and eczema symptoms from first 2 years to last year of children, respectively. Conclusion: The results showed that exposure to visible mold can be a risk factor for both prevalence and incidence of children’s asthma/allergic symptoms. Indoor air quality (air dryness, moldy odor, stuffy odor and new furniture or renovation) can influence childhood asthma later in life. Early life exposure to mold and dampness should be avoided at home. Chemical emissions during early life from new furniture or renovation can also be a health problem.

Users’ satisfaction of indoor environmental quality conditions in ZEB+ at high latitudes

Energy efficiency policy forces architects to design buildings with increasingly well-sealed building skin. With the minimized outdoor connection, the indoor environment factors depend strongly on technical systems and control. In these scenarios, occupant dissatisfaction indicates a need for improvements of indoor environment and the way it is controlled. The aim of the article is to contribute to the discussion about the user perspective of indoor environmental quality in ZEB in the Nordic region. The focus on daylight as a factor for visual comfort, and on low outside temperature as an aspect of thermal comfort was dictated by this choice. An experimental study was conducted with 75 participants, in which the thermal, acoustic and visual conditions (controlled factors) together with a view out, humidity and CO2 level (monitored factors) were assessed by them and quantified via sensors. In most studied settings, the thermal comfort was the most determinant factor, followed by the acoustic and visual comfort. Other significant factors were mean illuminance in the room, mean temperature at the participants’ desks and a mode value of the noise level. The daylight levels much lower than recommended in regulations were accepted by participants as comfortable if they were sitting by the window. Also, participants preferred a higher indoor temperature than the recommended in Norway.

A decentralized method for energy conservation of an HVAC system

Building, heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) consumes nearly 48% of the entire building energy of the world. Improvement in the control strategy of an HVAC system can result in substantial energy savings, which is the motivation behind this research. In this study, a decentralized method is proposed to search for a good-enough control strategy to reduce the energy consumption of a typical HVAC system consisting of cooling towers, chillers, pumps, and air handling units (AHUs). The method is then compared to a centralized method. In addition to energy consumption, indoor environmental factors such as temperature and humidity are considered in the new method to meet the requirements of human comfort. We introduce experimental conditions for feasibility and the crude energy index in the decentralized method to reduce the computational time. The improved HVAC system was able to save 34% (per 12 h) on energy consumption and the average computational time was reduced to 1247.5 s, which proves the efficiency and effectiveness of the decentralized method and the performance of the proposed control strategy.

Combined effects of traffic air pollution and home environmental factors on preterm birth in China

BackgroundAlthough mounting evidence have linked traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) with increased risk of preterm birth (PTB), whether it can interact with indoor environmental factors remains unknown, and its window(s) susceptibility at the stage of gestation is unclear. ObjectiveTo explore PTB risk for prenatal exposure to traffic-related air pollution and home environmental factors during pregnancy, so as to identify critical window(s) in the combined effect of traffic air pollution and main home environmental factor(s) on PTB development. MethodsA retrospective cohort study of 3,509 preschool children was performed in Changsha, China during 2011–2012. The PTB prevalence was reported by the parents based on a questionnaire. We estimated each mother's exposure to traffic-related air pollutant NO2 in different windows of gestation, including conception month, three trimesters, birth month, and whole gestation. Maternal exposure to home environmental factors was considered by renovation (new furniture/redecoration) in pregnancy, and mold/damp stains and window condensation during perinatal period. Associations of PTB with both ambient NO2 and home environmental factors, and their interactions on PTB were evaluated by logistic regression models using odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). ResultsTraffic air pollutant NO2 exposure in utero was significantly associated with PTB, with adjusted odds ratio (OR) (95% CI) of 1.41 (1.00–1.98) for an IQR increase in NO2 exposure during whole pregnancy, particularly in the conception month and 1st trimester. We further found a positive relationship between perinatal exposure to mold/damp stains in the homes and PTB, OR (95% CI) = 1.73 (1.04–2.90). Especially, we detected a significant interaction between outdoor NO2 and indoor mold/damp stains on PTB risk. Male and female foetus were respectively more susceptible to perinatal mold/dampness at home and outdoor NO2 exposure in early gestation. ConclusionOur finding indicates that both outdoor traffic air pollutant and indoor mold/dampness play key roles in PTB development, and their interaction effect in early pregnancy significantly increases PTB risk.

Formaldehyde monitoring in office buildings located in tropical climates of India

Indoor air pollution is a result of complex phenomenon that occurs due to constantly changing interaction of various indoor and outdoor environmental factors. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are the major pollutants in air conditioned indoors, perhaps having a large subset of hazardous compounds. In this study, formaldehyde (HCHO) was monitored at 30 minute interval using portable photoelectric absorptiometric sensors along with comfort parameters like air temperature, relative humidity and air flow rate at six newly constructed or renovated office buildings located in composite, temperate and warm-humid climatic zones (in various parts of India). Results show that formaldehyde emissions exceeded the limits suggested by LEED guidelines (27 ppb) in all the buildings except in the ones where low emitting green interiors were used. Furniture and interior decorative work were found to be the primary sources of formaldehyde emission than other parameters. A logarithmic relationship (R2=0.65) was established between HCHO and respective age of the building/refurbished time. The analysis also presents that in a scenario of green interiors (low HCHO concentration) and the humidity levels above 60%, the trend of HCHO concentration with indoor moisture exhibits certain time delays in reaching equilibrium due to slow conditioning of HCHO molecules and indoor moisture. The study provides a rational analysis on HCHO emissions in Indian office buildings, which is important to understand possible sources and their effects on HCHO concentration in office indoors. The study data helps to implement required measures to control indoor humidity levels or necessary HCHO mitigation strategies during design and operation process of the air-conditioned office buildings.

The need for understanding the indoor environmental factors and its effects on occupants through an integrated analysis

Research has shown that, even though the conditions seem to comply with current standards for indoor environmental quality (IEQ) based on single-dose response relationships, staying indoors is not good for our health. In the last three decades, many studies all over the world have been performed to identify and solve health and comfort problems of occupants. In our current standards, IEQ is still described with quantitative dose-related indicators, expressed in number and/or ranges of numbers for each of the factors (indoor air, lighting, acoustics and thermal aspects). Individual differences in needs and preferences of occupants (over time) are not accounted for. Other stressors and factors, whether of psychological, physiological, personal, social or environmental nature, are rarely considered. Interactions of stressors and effects at and between human and environment level are ignored. The focus is on preventing negative effects: positive effects are usually not considered. There is a need for an integrated analysis approach for assessing indoor environmental quality, which takes account of the combined effects of positive and negative stress factors in buildings on people (patterns), interactions, as well as the (dynamic) preferences and needs of occupants (profiles) and dynamics of the environment.

Cluster analysis of indoor environmental factors associated with symptoms of mite allergy

BackgroundThe clinical efficacy of controlling environmental allergens as a component of allergic asthma treatment remains controversial. Multifaceted allergen reductions appeared to be the most efficient methods. However, they require home visits with indoor technicians. ObjectiveTo examine the characteristics of indoor environments that might be related to symptoms of children and adult patients with mite allergic rhinitis and/or asthma. MethodsWe included 315 patients allergic to house dust mites with rhinitis and/or asthma who had been visited at home by 2 medical indoor environment counselors (MIECs) from the Strasbourg University Hospital between January 2007 and June 2015. In a cluster analysis, we analyzed 42 characteristics of respiratory symptoms, dwelling characteristics, and indoor pollutants in this population. ResultsThree clusters were defined among the patients. Cluster 1 included 55 patients, all with rhinitis, 32% with asthma, and all living in an urban area. Clusters 2 and 3 included 86 and 174 patients, respectively. The important factors in these 2 clusters were asthma incidence and exposure to different indoor pollutants, such as indoor perfumes, cleaning products, and tobacco smoke. ConclusionOur results underlined the variability of indoor environments and the importance of MIEC home visits to investigate individual patient environments and propose an appropriate avoidance management plan. Our results showed that sensitization to mite and exposure to indoor chemical pollutants were associated with severe asthma.

An indoor Wi-Fi access points localization algorithm based on improved path loss model parameter calculation method and recursive partition

The localization accuracy of the existing methods for indoor Wi-Fi access points ranging-based localization depends on the accuracy of the received signal strength measured. Because the existing ranging-based methods are interfered by various indoor environmental factors, it is difficult to accurately measure the received signal strength, which leads to the problem of low localization accuracy of the indoor Wi-Fi access points. An indoor Wi-Fi access points localization algorithm based on improved path loss model parameter calculation method and recursive partition is proposed in this article. The algorithm recursively partitions the region where the target Wi-Fi access points are located according to the idea of quadtree partition, and partitions it into same sub-grids, which is sequentially performed until the sub-grids are smaller than the set threshold. The detection device is used at the detection location of the grids to measure the received signal strength, which is from the detection points to the target access point, the grid center point is used as the location of the candidate target access point, the parameters in the path loss model are calculated by using the signal strength differences between the detection points, and then the distances between the detection points and the target access point are calculated by using the signal strength values from the detection points to the target access point. Finally, the location of the target access point is estimated by executing a localization algorithm, and the location of the grid center point closest to the target access point is taken as the location of the target access point. The experimental results show that under the premise that the target access point can be found, the proposed algorithm reduces the use of the device and improves the localization accuracy compared with the typical localization method.

The most effective indoor environmental quality factors related to worker satisfaction and performance: a case of the administrative office building at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

The influence of the office environment on employees has attracted inter-disciplinary research attention. This study investigates the differences in worker satisfaction and self-estimated job performance regarding indoor environmental quality (IEQ) parameters in personal workspaces between three office types (enclosed private office, enclosed shared office and cubicle with high partitions). A standard survey conducted by the Centre for the Built Environment (CBE) has been used to collect and analyse data from 175 workers in Ferdowsi University’s administrative office building. The CBE survey classifies IEQ parameters into seven main categories. Regardless of office type, there was a positive correlation between satisfaction and self-reported performance in all IEQ factors except cleanliness and maintenance; which means the increase in satisfaction would enhance the self-reported performance. Based on principal component analysis, the cleanliness and maintenance factor was the most effective in the enclosed private office and enclosed shared office.

Towards an integrated analysis of the indoor environmental factors and its effects on occupants

ABSTRACT Research has shown that staying indoors is not good for our health, even though the conditions seem to comply with current guidelines for indoor environmental quality (IEQ). The growing field of indoor health and comfort studies in schools, offices and homes, shows a discrepancy of current standards with end-users needs. In a previous review it was concluded that a more complex research model than the conventional ‘dose-response’ model is required to explain symptoms and complaints, preferences and needs, in order to prevent negative effects and to stimulate positive experiences. In this position paper, recent research on the further development of the previous introduced approach is presented along the identified needs, i.e. a model that is suitable for determining patterns of stressors and interactions, and takes account of dynamic behaviour over time per scenario; assessment methods that can identify other factors and stressors than the environmental parameters used in guidelines and analysis methods that can determine relations and interactions. The outcome is used to improve and detail the previous introduced approach.

Analyzing the real-time indoor environmental quality factors considering the influence of the building occupants’ behaviors and the ventilation

This study aimed to analyze the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) factors considering the influence of the occupants’ behaviors and the air change rate. For this, the real-time IEQ score was developed based on the indoor climate and air pollutant factors. This study was conducted from January to March at three offices, with the same room size but with different air change rates and used by people with different behavioral patterns. Three offices are based on a four-floor located in Seoul, South Korea, a monsoon climate region. The air change rate in Office #1 varied from 33.89 to 37.66 m3/h, with a median of 35.77 m3/h, and it was higher than that in Office #2 and #3. As a result, the number of occupants could be related to the CO2 and TVOCs levels in all the offices. To keep the CO2 level within the low range (1000 ppm), the number of occupants should be 3 (density: 0.25 person/m2) or fewer, and to maintain the TVOCs level within the low range (400 μg/m3), it is necessary to enhance the air change rate to minimum 9.0 m3/h∙person by changing the ventilation methods according to ASHRAE 62–1. At the same time, as there is much more fine particulate coming from outside than inside, the filter can be used in the window to allow the fine particulate to be exported. The results can be used as a building management strategy that simultaneously enhances the thermal comfort and indoor air quality using a real-time IEQ score.

Automatic ventilation control algorithm considering the indoor environmental quality factors and occupant ventilation behavior using a logistic regression model

Building occupants find it difficult to achieve the optimal indoor environment quality (IEQ) through natural ventilation. To solve this problem, this study aimed to develop an automatic ventilation control algorithm considering the IEQ factors and occupant ventilation behavior. The algorithm was developed in four steps: (i) real-time collection of data on the IEQ factors and occupant ventilation behavior; (ii) development of the automatic ventilation control algorithm using logistic regression; (iii) determination of the automatic ventilation control algorithm using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis; and (iv) evaluation of the automatic ventilation control algorithm's performance according to the indoor environmental standards. Through this process, the logistic regression model with ridge regression (area under curve: 0.865), with the highest classification accuracy, was selected. Then Youden's index was used to define the decision criterion (i.e., optimal cutoff value) for the logistic regression model. As a result, the decision criterion for opening and closing the windows or doors was 0.533. When the developed algorithm was compared with the indoor environmental standards to analyze its performance, the compliance rate of the opening of the windows or doors based on the monitored data was 77.6%, but it increased to 99% based on the data classified by the developed algorithm. It is expected that if the automatic ventilation control algorithm is embedded in a building ventilation system, which is connected to various IEQ measurement sensors, it will offer a customized building ventilation system to the building occupants.

Building status obtained before renovating multifamily buildings in Sweden

The aim of this study was to analyse how energy use, building physics properties and indoor environment data have been obtained in the initial evaluation phases of multifamily building renovations in Sweden. Between 1964 and 1975, approximately one million homes were built in Sweden. These buildings are now in need of renovation. To perform proper status assessment of a building before a renovation is important both to make decisions on renovation measures on correct information as well as to be able to perform follow-ups of renovation projects. The analyses in this study was performed with questionnaires in eight case studies. Studied data included energy use, building physics properties and indoor environmental factors. The study shows that information about a building's status, and the subsequent renovation process, is often linked to one or just a few people involved in the project without any systematic documentation. When they leave their employment, due to changing jobs or retirement, documentation about the condition of the building, material choices and decision processes is often lost.

Indoor environment in children’s dwellings in Dalian and Beijing, China

In 2013, field measurements of indoor environments in children’s (from 8 to 12 years old) dwellings were performed in 20 households in Dalian and Beijing to investigate the association between indoor environmental factors and children’s health. This study includes comprehensive factors about indoor environment in children’s dwellings in Dalian and Beijing and the exposure levels of multiple pollutants. The results showed that the indoor thermal environments were similar in Dalian and Bejing. Regarding children’s indoor air quality, indoor PM2.5 in Beijing was more serious than that in Dalian. Dwellings in Dalian have more chemical pollutants than those in Beijing. In addition, Penicillium, Cladosporium, and Aspergillus were found as the main fungi in children’s dwellings. Moverover, indoor thermal comfort in healthy children’s dwellings was better than in unhealthy children’s. The indoor PM2.5 from indoor sources may affect children’s health with regard to respiratory diseases and allergies more than those from outdoor sources. When the concentration of formaldehyde got higher, the relationship between formaldehyde and children’s health was more significant. The other factors were not found to have a significant relation with children’s health.

Impact of Human, workplace and indoor environmental risk factors on operator’s reliability in control rooms

Adequate design of control rooms is very important for increasing the reliability of operators working in them. Therefore, it is necessary to choose the best solution for improving the compliance between operators and elements of control room while dealing with problems of illumination, thermal climate and noise. For this purpose we will analyze the impact of execution time of operator's information processing tasks, motor and logical operator's tasks, operator's functional state, workplace risk factors and indoor environment parameters on operator's reliability in control room. Methodological approaches for these five groups are formed and used for experimental research and to determine the level of their quantitative values. Research results are showing the following levels of reliability for specific indicators: reaction time ‐ very good, coefficient of task complexity ‐ optimal, operator's error caused by stress ‐ very good, workplace risk factor ‐ critical and indoor environment ‐ good. Because the functional appropriateness and efficiency in the operator's workplace were inadequate, the following recommendations and solutions were proposed: signaling and control elements should be placed on the central part of the control desk, because due to poor control desk construction, they cause uneven burden on various operator's body parts.