Employers warned to keep workplaces cool as TUC calls for new max temperature

As the temperature continues to soar this week, the TUC is today warning employers that they may be breaking the law if they fail to protect workers from the effects of extreme heat.

Although under UK law there is no clear legal maximum workplace temperature, health and safety regulations place a duty on employers to make sure that the inside temperature is reasonable during working hours.

If the temperature gets too hot then the regulations say that employers must take action to reduce the heat by introducing air conditioning or distributing fans, providing plentiful amounts of cold drinking water, moving staff away from windows or allowing them to dress down.

The TUC is warning that if employers fail to keep workplaces cool, they could be liable if a member of staff falls ill because of the heat or has an accident at work because they are feeling tired or faint.

But the lack of a clear maximum temperature means that many employers are confused about what they must do and when they have to act. The TUC wants to see a maximum working temperature of 30C, or 27C for those doing strenuous work. At this point employers would have to take steps to cool workplaces down.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: Whilst most sensible employers will be doing their utmost to keep their staff cool in the oppressive heat, there will always be some too mean to do anything to bring their office or shop temperatures down.

Bosses who fail to adopt the cool work approach risk damaging their firms’ productivity as their employees wilt in the heat. They are also increasing the chances of a member of staff falling ill or having an accident because they were too hot. Employers clearly cannot control the weather, but there is much they can do to keep staff cool, and a clear maximum temperature would make a real difference.