The UK is officially entering heatwave territory this week with the latest Met Office weather forecasts now predicting scorching conditions of up to 34C on Saturday.
The sizzling heatwave is great news for people enjoying their gardens or heading to sunbathe and after a drizzly start to June, the British summer has finally arrived in earnest.
But as conditions are predicted to get hotter and hotter every day this week, many no doubt increasingly sticky, sweaty people are beginning to ask how hot it has to be before you can legally stop working. The Met Office has also released amber warnings urging Brits to be vigilant in the sun.
TonerGiant has teamed up with Peninsula to set out rights for British people when working in hot conditions.
In some countries, there is a legal limit defined in Celsius. For example, in Qatar, workers on buildings cannot continue construction work when the outdoor temperature hits 50C.
Such temperatures aren’t likely in the UK just yet, but what can you legally do if your workplace is getting into the high 20s or even 30C and your office is becoming baking?
There’s a recommended minimum temperature for a workplace, which is 16°C, or 13°C if employees are doing physical work but things get a bit less clear when it comes to a maximum.
Unfortunately, there is no set maximum temperature as clearly defined in the law in the UK.
However, employers are expected to have ‘reasonable responsibility’ to keep a workplace to within an acceptable working temperature for people’s health.
However, the application of the regulation depends on the nature of the workplace, as some industries will have workplaces that by necessity are cooler or hotter than normal places.
As an aside, if you’re working from home, your employer has no responsibility for cooling your house, even if you work from home in your contract.
The Health and Safety Executive says about the hot conditions: “A meaningful maximum figure cannot be given due to the high temperatures found in, for example, glass works or foundries,” HSE explains.
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 lay down particular requirements for most aspects of the working environment. Regulation 7 deals specifically with the temperature in indoor workplaces and states that:
“During working hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable.
“However, the application of the regulation depends on the nature of the workplace, such as a bakery, a cold store, an office, a warehouse.”
So if you were to initiate a dispute with your employer over your working temperature, it would come down to what is considered ‘reasonable’ – and whether your response was too.
Stuart Deavall, Digital Marketing Manager at TonerGiant said: “Whilst most of us were probably hoping for a maximum working temperature so we can enjoy the long-awaited sunny weather, it’s important to understand your rights when working in extreme weather conditions, such as the heatwave we’re experiencing this week.
“It enables you to advocate for yourself, but also understand the legislations already put in place by your employer to ensure you’re working in a safe environment year-round, regardless of the weather.”