A heater is a device that heats an area immediately around it by emitting radiant heat from a hot surface. A range of heaters are available including; gas heaters, bar heaters and oil heaters.
To heat larger areas, convection heaters or heating systems work by moving air around to transfer heat from the heat source to the surrounding areas. Ducted heated systems, reverse cycle heaters and fan heaters use this method of heating.
A range of heaters work to heat an area using a combination of radiant and convection heat. Reverse cycle systems have the capacity to both heat and cool an area and are usually installed on the wall.
When choosing an appropriate heating source, it is important to consider the area to be heated, the purpose of the area to be heated, the amount of people using the space, how often the area is used, purchase and maintenance costs, energy efficiency of running the appliance and whether areas can be isolated for heating.
Workplace solutions and adjustments
For people with sensitivity to the cold which can affect work capacity such as those with Multiple Sclerosis, adjusting or controlling workplace temperature may need to be considered to minimise the impact of symptoms on work performance. If overall office temperature cannot be adjusted or is inappropriate to be modified and separate temperature controls for different offices are not possible, workstation heaters, heat pads, use of a blanket, wearing layered clothing, heated clothing and/or wearing gloves, scarf and hat may be appropriate to assist in managing the situation.
More information on maintaining temperatures can be found at the links below:
References
Job Accommodation Network 2005, Managing temperature sensitivity within the workplace, JAN e-news, vol. 3, no. 4, West Virginia, viewed 15 February 2011, http://askjan.org/.
Sustainability Victoria 2007, Choosing a heating system, Sustainability Victoria, Melbourne, viewed 15 February 2011, http://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/www/html/1519-search.asp?search=1&intLocationID=1519&keywords=choosing+heating+system&image.x=35&image.y=4.