Over the years, the human body is subject to the process of weakening of physical and cognitive functions. This process occurs with different speed and force for everyone, but it is inevitable. The challenge for the working environment is to counteract the negative effects of the aging of employees through the use of appropriately selected support systems. Finding solutions aimed at adapting workplaces to changing functional abilities is extremely important from the point of view of prolonging economic activity, in the era of declining number of people of working age in relation to the elderly.

DOI: 10.54215/BP.2022.12.31.Lach

The Polish standard PN-B-02151-4: 2015 distinguishes two types of large-area work rooms: 1 – open plan offices, operating rooms for banks and offices, customer service offices and 2 – call centres. In each of these types, criteria for the minimum sound absorption of the room are defined. The PN-EN ISO 3382-32012 specifies four other acoustic criteria for rooms, but referring only to rooms type 2. For workplaces or the above-mentioned the rooms are also subject to the criteria for permissible noise specified in the PN-N-01307:1994 and the PN-B-02151-2:2018 standards. Above the criteria were developed from 28 to 4 years ago and in many cases are not fully adapted to the currently used rooms. As a result, the new ISO 22955: 2021 introduced a new division of open plan offices spaces/rooms. There are five types of used rooms and an additional class i.e. a room intended for office work, but without equipment. The article will discuss the acoustic requirements and the evaluation criteria of the rooms according to ISO 22955:2021 and the standards: PN-N-01307, PN-B-02151-2, PN-B-02151-4 and PN-EN ISO 3382-3.

DOI: 10.54215/BP.2022.12.32.Mikulski