Heatwave: When is it too hot to work?

Much of the UK is already mired in a heatwave and temperatures are expected to continue to rise.

The Met Office has extended its extreme heat weather warning for England and Wales until Tuesday, meaning there is a risk of serious illness or death.

What rights do workers have when temperatures rise?

There is no law in the UK that says a specific temperature is too hot or too cold to work.

However, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), workplaces should ideally be at least 16C – or 13C if the work is primarily physical.

Its guidance states that a workplace temperature with “clean and fresh air” must be “reasonable”.

A number of MPs recently backed a campaign for a legal cap of 30C in most workplaces – or 27C for those doing strenuous work – but the Government need not respond.

Whether your employer allows you to miss work because it’s too hot “is up to them,” according to Mark Scoggins, an attorney at Fisher Scoggins Waters.

“The HSE will not issue guidance on this and they should not,” he added.

But the Occupational Health and Safety Act means bosses are generally responsible for the well-being of employees.

Unione union says employers have “a legal and moral obligation to ensure workers’ health is not harmed during the current hot weather”.

The HSE encourages employees to speak to their manager if the workplace is not comfortable.

The HSE says employers should allow their staff to work flexibly where possible, shifting their hours to minimize work during the hottest times of the day.

Casual formal dress codes and moving workspaces away from hot locations or out of direct sunlight can also help.

Wherever possible, windows should be open, radiators turned off, and fans or air conditioning should be installed.

According to the TUC, companies should let their office workers work from home or adjust their working hours to avoid rush hours.

According to Unite, workers are particularly at risk:

“Employers should consider moving work to cooler times of the day and providing cooling areas such as shade or air-conditioned toilets.

“If workers show signs of heat exhaustion, the employer should immediately ensure they can stop work and recover without loss of pay.”

However, Construction Industry Council chairman Justin Sullivan says that construction sites’ operating hours are often limited by planning laws aimed at minimizing their impact on surrounding communities. So starting early or stopping late is not always an option.

However, he agrees that all workers should have access to water, protective clothing and shade.

Some materials such as paint and concrete cannot be used on extremely hot days as the heat will cause the materials to fail. He says all site managers have temperature gauges and workers move to other jobs when possible.

Lifeguards are especially important in hot weather when more people are enticed to swim, but they also need to look out for themselves.

According to Jo Talbot of the Royal Life Saving Society UK, all lifeguards should have cold water, a wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeved top, polarized sunglasses, high SPF sunscreen and access to shade.

You should also have regular breaks.

The Department for Education told the BBC that it “neither expects nor advises schools to close” during this summer’s heatwave and that “individual school leaders are responsible for managing their own local circumstances”.

The guidance recommends that schools increase ventilation where possible, keep children hydrated and avoid vigorous physical activity. Students are also advised to wear a hat and use sunscreen.

According to the NASUWT union, high temperatures make teaching and learning difficult.

“Excessive heat in classrooms has been shown in many studies to impact student learning, with a 1°C increase in temperature being associated with a 2% decrease in learning.”

It said schools should avoid using classrooms, which are particularly prone to high temperatures during the hottest hours of the day, to protect staff and students.

Some schools have announced that they will close early and postpone events such as sports days.

There are some simple things individuals can do to make the heat more bearable.

dr Anna Mavrogianni, a researcher in sustainable building and urban design at University College London, advises opening windows to improve airflow but staying away from them to avoid direct heat.

She also recommends turning off electrical equipment, such as copiers, when not in use.

Light-colored clothing is cooler than dark-colored clothing because it absorbs less heat. Choose loose-fitting garments made from natural materials like cotton and linen, which are more breathable.

To stay hydrated, drink water before you feel thirsty and avoid heavy meals, which require more digestion and in turn produce more body heat.