There is no legal maximum working temperature but the law requires employers
to ensure "the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be
reasonable". The law on minimum temperatures is clear and unambiguous:13
degrees C for strenuous work, 16 degrees C generally.
The GPMU supports the TUC campaign for legal maximum temperatures set in the
same way as minimum temperatures - at 27 degrees C for strenuous work and 30
degrees C generally. This indicates the kind of temperatures that should
trigger action to reduce the effects of high temperatures at work.
HEAT AT WORK
Too much heat can cause fatigue, extra strain on the heart and lungs,
dizziness and fainting, or heat cramps due to loss of water and salt. Hot,
dry air can increase the risk of eye and throat infections, and breathing
problems such as asthma and rhinitis.
Above a blood temperature of 102 degrees F there is a risk of heat stroke;
collapse can occur above 106 degrees F with symptoms of delirium and
confusion. Such temperatures are rare, but can be reached in hot workplaces
in paper mills, on particular processes and confined spaces generally.
Most of the effects of heat at work are not so serious, but they can still
cause problems.
COMMON EFFECTS
The police report that heatwaves bring in their wake outbursts of violence,
often directed at people working with the public.
The loss of concentration brought on by the heat doesn't just slow you down,
it can lead to accidents, such as people being careless around machinery, or
stumbling against hotplates.
Having to work (and travel) in hot weather pushes-up people's stress levels,
making all the health effects of stress at work more likely - stomach
problems, disrupted sleep patterns and heart disease.
JOBS AFFECTED
People who work in the heat already are at increased risk of heat exhaustion
when the outside temperature goes up.
People who work in hazardous occupations already, and who have to keep their
wits about them to avoid injury are less likely to be able to in the heat.
People working with almost any machinery are at risk.
THE LAW
At present, there are fairly explicit laws on minimum temperatures, but not
on maximum temperatures.
All employers are under a general duty to look after the health and safety
of their staff (Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974), and to ensure that
during working hours the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings is
reasonable (Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations 1992). In
addition, employers have to assess the risks to workers of a variety of
hazards, including temperature (Management of Health and Safety at Work
Regulations 1992).
The law requires thermometers to be available to enable workers to check the
temperature.
There are various informal guides to safe working temperatures, and
generally, the acceptable zone of thermal comfort for most types of work
lies between 16 degrees C - 24 degrees C (about 61 - 72 F).
Acceptable temperatures for heavier types of work are concentrated at the
lower end of this range, while sedentary tasks may still be performed with
reasonable comfort towards the opposite extreme.
The Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers recommend the
following temperatures for different working areas:
- heavy work in factories 13 degrees C
- light work in factories 16 degrees C
- offices or dining rooms 20 degrees C
WHAT THE LAW SAYS ABOUT COLD
The Approved Code of Practice under the Workplace (Health, Safety and
Welfare) Regulations 1992 states that workrooms should normally be:
at least 16 degrees C for most types of work; and
at least 13 degrees C for work involving "severe physical effort".
These levels are legally enforceable minimums, and workers have the
effective right to refuse to work when the workplace temperature is below
them. Chapels should reach agreements with employers on these matters. It is
normally accepted that no action should be taken if the correct temperature
is achieved within an hour of starting work.
The GPMU believes that workers should be protected from having to work in
uncomfortably hot conditions in the same way as they are protected from the
cold. For most workers, the main reason for heat exposure at work is high
temperatures due to the weather, inadequate ventilation and so on. The
general duties of health and safety law mean that some precautions can and
must be taken.
Work which necessarily involves heat at work should be minimised, or
workers' contact with it reduced (for example by enclosing the hot
operation, by use of remote control devices etc).
Workers whose exposure to heat cannot be reduced should be provided with
adequate breaks and facilities to cool them down, including personal cooling
equipment or cooling air flows. In many cases more breaks than normal will
be needed. They should be taken in cool areas. Cool drinks should also be
provided.
