04 April 2023
Read our guidance on what support you can expect from your employer when you're feeling the heat in the workplace.
Working in excessive heat is not only uncomfortable but can be dangerous too. So here's what you need to know about working in extreme temperatures.
Employers have a duty of care, and a legal obligation to protect your health, ensuring working temperatures are reasonable, comfortable, and safe.
There’s no legal maximum temperature set in law, and expected temperatures may vary depending on the type of work being undertaken, but the guidance from the Workplace Regulations 1992 says that ‘during working hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable’. But what is reasonable?
The Chartered Institute of Building Service Engineers recommends a good working temperature for an office is 20°C. And the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 say that employers should make suitable assessments of the risks to the health and safety of employees and act where necessary or reasonably practicable.
It’s usually accepted that most people work best at a temperature between 16-24°C.
Working in excessive heat is not only uncomfortable but can lead to an increase in accidents and injuries. If your workplace is too hot to work effectively, you could ask management to do the following:
If you want to keep an eye on the temperature in your workplace, you can order one of our branded temperature gauge cards. Please send your request to: [email protected] - include your name and full workplace address.
If your management don’t listen or fail to act, contact you local Accord officer for advice.
You can also chat to us online or call and speak to our duty officer on 0118 934 1808.
There is further information and guidance available from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and some useful resources from the TUC: