The Workplace and Hot Weather

Why are you complaining about me?Because we’re at work and you’re damn hot!

Thank you for the nice comment, after all I am your closest star and you Brits very rarely see me!

Yes and we love you, but why are you making it so hot for us when we’re at work, can you not just come out at weekends or when we’re at the seaside, or better still on bank holidays?

That’s nature I’m afraid, you just never know when I’ll appear! Boom here I am 30oC in the shade.Yeah and 35oC in the office!

The issue you have in the UK is that your buildings are not suited to hot weather, your houses rarely have air conditioning fitted and offices that do have air con, are never suitable at the right time.

So what is the legal temperature to work in?

Over to my friend, the safety guy!

Thanks Sun… (Wow that’s weird)… Well frankly there isn’t one for our workplaces, but the temperature should provide reasonable comfort without the need for specific protective clothing.

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, Regulation 7 states, ‘During working hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable.’

Typical, it’s never specific is it!

Well that’s a good thing too, it means that your employer has to interpret what he sees as suitable for the workplace, the processes and the people within it. If you had set temperatures it means you’ll be closing all your buildings and sending people home all the time, however by indicating reasonable, it means adjustments can be made to ensure that you remain productive.

Well that kind of makes sense, but what is reasonable, are there any examples?

How the Regulation is implemented depends on the nature of the working environment i.e. is it a cold store, bakery, factory with heat generating processes, office or warehouse?

The temperature at work should provide reasonable comfort without the need for special clothing. Where such a temperature is impractical because of hot weather, all reasonable steps should be taken to achieve a temperature which is as close as possible to comfortable.

So it may mean sending out young Joe to get some fans or Naiomi may want to fetch ice creams. You could implement a dress down policy, provide extra breaks, rotate job processes so workers can take a break from hot processes, implement physical barriers from radiation (blinds). Whatever the methods you choose it should help maintain a comfortable workplace to be in. Obviously there may be days when it’s too hot, so you have no choice but to send people home to work.

Workplace thermal comfort should be risk assessed when more than 10% of your people (in offices) complain about the temperature. Your assessment will allow you to consider control measures to put in place.

You mentioned clothing, which makes sense to dress down, but my question is about footwear? Can we wear flip flops?

That will depend on your company policy, but you must consider the workplace and the hazards associated. I probably don’t have to tell you that a construction site is far more dangerous than a quiet office, but consider;

• The likelihood of items dropping on feet when carrying things
• Contact with plant and machinery (stubbed toes)
• Floor surfaces and whether they are smooth and slip resistant
• Any hygiene issues with open shoes
• Prohibiting wearing of ‘flimsy’ shoes in areas of greater risk
• Barefoot is probably a step too far in all workplaces (not illegal but is it reasonable?).

Do I have to provide air conditioning?

No not really, but you may wish to invest in it if you feel your production rates are dramatically affected by the weather, but that’s a management decision not legislative. Also following a risk assessment where people may be showing symptoms of heat stress it may be reasonably practicable to invest in it.

Will a thermometer help?

Yes it can but it won’t give a true reflection of thermal comfort for everyone and so you can consider the following:

• Increase air movement – stagnant air can make us feel stuffy, whereas moving the air artificially or naturally (by opening windows to create a through draft) can help reduce the temperature
• Reduce humidity – the moisture of air can affect the amount we sweat, sweating is the body’s natural way of keeping cool, the moisture on our skin cools when air passes over it
• Reduce radiant heat – heat generated from warm objects (machinery, glazing) can be considered.

During periods of hot weather, the obvious solution to a warm office is to switch on the air conditioning however, as with many employers, if you don’t have this then what options do you have?

There are a number of things you can do to make the working environment comfortable:

• Protect windows with blinds to block out sunlight and radiant heat and reduce glare on computer screens
• Provide employees with fans or portable air conditioning units
• Access to drinking water or supply additional refreshments
• Alternate work and provide longer rest periods in cool areas
• If possible, heavy work should be scheduled during the cooler parts of the day
• Consider implementing a summer dress code for particularly hot periods
• If natural light is sufficient, consider turning off lighting to reduce heat from florescent bulbs.

What about my workers outside?

You have a legal duty to ensure that the working environment is safe and to assess the risks of working in the sun. Educate and inform employees about the health implications that the sun can have and the importance of appropriately protecting and checking their skin for signs of change.

• Choose the right protective equipment and skin care products to include sun protection advice in routine health and safety training
• Consider scheduling work to minimise exposure during the hottest times of the day
• Encourage workers to wear clothes that protect their skin, wear a hat and use sunscreen
• Ensure and encourage sufficient access to water and rest areas in the shade
• Encourage workers to check their skin for unusual spots or moles that change size, shape or colour and seek medical advice if they find anything.

Don’t forget to consider those employees who are vulnerable, such as; pregnant women and those with medical conditions who can be affected by heat.

For more information on the working environment visit here.

Article by QDOS Consulting