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News > Teachers get heated over "greenhouse" classrooms

News Teachers get heated over "greenhouse" classrooms.

July 9, 2007

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Watkins Hire Ltd air conditioning hire range KwikCOOL to the rescue of Local Area Authorities, last summer many of the problems faced by school staff were highlighted.

Teachers say schools are becoming 'glasshouses' in summer heat waves and are demanding the right to walk out of classrooms if the temperature exceeds 27 degrees Celsius. They warn that staff and pupils are risking 'dizziness, fainting, or even heat cramps' during the summer term.

"Schools are not suited to the warmer summers we have been enjoying," said NUT general secretary Steve Sinnott. "Schools do not have air-conditioning. Those built more recently have a great deal of glass which can push the temperature up quite considerably."

The problem is made worse by the fact that school windows are secured to only open a few centimeters for safety reasons.

Watkins Hire Ltd has recognised the growing need for temporary air conditioning hire for schools and universities, Watkins has a large range of air conditioning units to reflect this need and will meet the varied and often urgent needs from the local area authorities.

One delegate at the National Union of Teachers' annual conference in Harrogate predicted that climate change could lead to schools closing during summer, just as ice and snow sometimes brought education to a halt during the winter.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) says the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends 24 degrees as a maximum for comfortable working and regards anything above 26 degrees 'as definitely unacceptable.'

The NUT insisted teachers, "should not and cannot be expected to work in any classroom or other internal teaching space where the temperature exceeds 26°C (79°F) for anything other than very short periods".

It is pressing the government to introduce laws requiring all schools to adhere to World Health Organisation recommendations for a maximum 24°C (75°F) limit for 'comfortable' working conditions.

The National Union of Teachers recommends that schools make contingency plans for lessons to be held in cooler, less sunny rooms during heat waves or ensure early¬ morning slots for subjects using heat-emitting equipment, such as science, technology and food science classes.

Extensive field tests have proven the KwikCOOL Air con hire units to be reliable and consistent.. The quiet operation with simple controls make these air conditioning units ‘Classroom Friendly’.

Our team of dedicated engineers and vehicles can deliver and install these units to any site with the shortest possible delay. Either as a planned event or emergency situation we can ensure a speedy installation and can have the unit delivering cool air into where it is required within 15 minutes of being on site.

Our sales managers can visit your site School of charge to prepare a contingency plan should you feel the need for temporary air conditioning. We have locations strategically placed throughout the U.K with all required air conditioning units and accessories ready to go.

A Watkins Hire spokesperson has quoted “This is typical of Watkins Hire quietly supporting government bodies; we are ready and able to deliver cooling solutions to a wider customer base which stands us in place to be amongst the market leaders not only on boiler hire and warm air heating but also in air conditioning”.