Working in a heatwave: your rights in the UK and how to prepare
Hot weather can make work and travel unbearable, so with record temperatures forecast in England this week, what are your rights and how can you prepare?
Unfortunately, while there is a minimum working temperature of (16C in an office) there is no maximum figure to use. This is because some workplaces, such as kitchens and foundries, are hot all the time. Instead, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) tells employers they need to keep the environment at a “reasonable” temperature for the “thermal comfort” (whether someone feels too hot or too cold) of employees.
Extreme temperatures are among potential hazards that employers must address to meet their legal obligations, so if you and a significant number of your colleagues think it is too hot inside, the company should in theory carry out a risk assessment and act on it.
“There are no maximum temperatures set in the UK that state employees must be sent home,” says Michael Brown, a health and safety content manager at the advisory firm Citation. “However, employers must ensure that they take reasonably practicable steps to ensure the welfare of their workers during high temperatures.
“This means different things for different industries. For example, some outdoor employers may need to consider varying staff working hours to allow them to work at cooler points of the day, whereas employers with office staff may need to regulate air conditioning temperatures, or ensure a supply of fresh air from windows and fans.”
Jo Mackie, the head of employment law at the law firm Slater and Gordon, adds that your employer has a duty of care to make sure you are safe at work. “You can ask to work from home if your employer won’t be able to maintain a reasonable temperature, if, for example,
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