Your Rights When Working in Extreme Temperatures
We explore the rights you have when working in extreme temperatures and how heating and cooling solutions in your workplace can make a big difference!
The year of 2018 has brought with it some extreme temperatures and weather conditions to the UK; from the infamous ‘Beast from the East’ to the soaring summer heatwave lasting months, rather than days. While this extreme weather rages on, the UK population still has to continue with their day-to-day life of going to work, but how equipped are our workplaces to deal with these conditions?
Minimum Working Temperatures
The UK law states that the minimum temperature in a workplace should normally be 16 degrees Celsius, while if the work requires rigorous physical effort, the temperature should be at least 13 degrees Celsius. To maintain these temperatures or higher in your office or workplace, a suitable heating system needs to be installed to combat the sub-zero temperatures we experience over the winter months. For offices and retail spaces for example, a commercial engineer needs to install a commercial boiler, whereas for warehouses or factories, a space heater may be more suitable.
Maximum Working Temperatures
This summer, the UK has experienced a season-long heatwave, which as we all know, is very unusual for this country. The bad news in these circumstances is there isn’t actually a meaningful maximum temperature set for a workplace due to the high temperatures found in glass works or foundries. There are other factors which come into consideration such as radiant temperature, humidity and air velocity and the interaction between them become more complex with rising temperatures.
While there may not be a maximum legal temperature for your workplace, there has been many reports that good air quality and ventilation can improve employee productivity. A study into the impact of temperature control on the health and productivity in offices found that with every 1 degree Celsius above 25 degrees Celsius, productivity decreased by 2%. So, to improve the productivity of your workforce, consider installing air conditioning into your offices and work spaces.
For help making your workplace or factory efficient, as well as comfortable to work in, no matter what the weather, get in contact with the team at Jigsaw FM for a site survey free of charge.
Your Rights When Working in Extreme Temperatures
We explore the rights you have when working in extreme temperatures and how heating and cooling solutions in your workplace can make a big difference!