South West Institute for Teaching SWIFT
  • Home
  • About us
    • Vision and more
    • SWIFT Teaching School Hubs
    • SWIFT Partnership
    • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
    • Leadership and Governance
    • Sustainability
    • Our SWIFT Artwork
    • Sponsorship
    • Privacy policies
  • Membership
  • ITT
  • Appropriate Body
  • ECTP
  • NPQs
  • CPD
    • CPD view and book 2024-2025
    • Professional Communities
    • Conferences and Forums
    • Leadership and Performance Analysis
  • News
  • Contact us
  • Home
  • About us
    • Vision and more
    • SWIFT Teaching School Hubs
    • SWIFT Partnership
    • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
    • Leadership and Governance
    • Sustainability
    • Our SWIFT Artwork
    • Sponsorship
    • Privacy policies
  • Membership
  • ITT
  • Appropriate Body
  • ECTP
  • NPQs
  • CPD
    • CPD view and book 2024-2025
    • Professional Communities
    • Conferences and Forums
    • Leadership and Performance Analysis
  • News
  • Contact us
Search by typing & pressing enter

YOUR CART

13/7/2022 0 Comments

How hot is TOO hot to work (for our soaring temperatures)?

Picture
The Met Office has warned that temperatures could hit 43C over the coming week, which would make it the hottest day ever recorded in the UK. 

Our sponsor, Wolferstans Solicitors, provides some guidance for employers as summer temperatures soar.

If it’s too hot to work, can employee’s leave?
Under UK law there is currently only a minimum working temperature set, which is 16C. However, if the employee’s work involves rigorous physical effort, the temperature should be at least 13C. 

There is unfortunately, no meaningful figure that can be placed on high temperatures, to indicate if it is in fact too hot to work. That said, employers are responsible to ensure their employees and workers are comfortable and in their working environment. This extends to helping them keep cool. Health and safety should also factor into an employer’s consideration as to whether it is too hot to work.  

Can employee’s legally ask for air conditioning in their workplace?
Employers are obliged to keep employees comfortable, which falls within them needing to ensure the working environment is of a reasonable temperature for those using it. From this, the concept known as "thermal comfort" has been established. By managing the thermal comfort within the workplace employers are more likely to improve morale, productivity and health and safety.

The Health and Safety Executive note the six basic factors to cause temperature discomfort are:

  1. Air temperature;
  2. Radiant temperature;
  3. Air velocity;
  4. Humidity;
  5. Clothing insulation and 
  6. Metabolic heat.

A way in which they suggest you can control the thermal comfort of these factors is by using air conditioning units or air dehumidifiers. If you want further advice on whether you should be installing air conditioning, as you feel are having employee complaints about the temperature in the workplace, then please get in contact via the below contact details.

Do employees have to wear their usual work attire in sweltering heat?
This very much depends on the organisation.

For example, if you are employing tree surgeons you would not be complying with the health and safety laws and organisational policies if you allowed you employees to not wear their personal protective equipment, such as the thick heavy chainsaw trousers which they most likely do not wish to be wearing on an extremely hot day.

In circumstances where it is reasonable for there to be a flexible dress code, such as in an office environment, employers should be doing this to help with employee’s thermal comfort and productivity.

If in doubt whether this applies to you, the Health and Safety Executive provide further information on this.

How else can employers ensure that "thermal comfort" is managed well?
Hybrid working is becoming increasingly popular and making the most of this on an extremely hot day could benefit employers and employees. Employers need to consider whether the building they have is equipped for a heatwave. In doing this they should factor in whether there is a lot of glass, if it is an older building, whether there is good ventilation, and whether or not they already have air conditioning installed.

Employee productivity could be higher, should they be allowed to work from home in a cooler environment. If this is not possible then employers need to control the thermal comfort of their employees in the workplace as best as they can, given their circumstances. Ways to do this is by providing fans, if safe to do so, in the event they do not have aircon.

If you have any concerns over your workplace, or employees refusing to attend work during the heatwave, please make contact via our new enquiries section of the website.
​
By Rachel Lee, Wolferstans Solicitors

contact | Wolferstans
Picture
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    SWIFT News
    ​

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022

    Categories

    All Advice AI Annual Conference Appropriate Body Service AQA Art Artificial Intelligence Associate College Attendance Character Education Conferences CPD CPD Provider Creativity Cultural Diversity Curriculum Forum Curriculum Hubs Data Data Protection Department For Education Devon Research School Diversity Equity And Inclusion Early Career Framework Enrichment Activity Events Exams Funding GDPR Golden Golden Thread Governors History Teaching Interview Interviews IT Support Leadership Forums Literacy LSSW Masterclasses Membership Multi Academy Trusts National Institute Of Teaching New New Horizons News Newsletter Newsletters NPQs Ofsted Partnership Physical Education Professional Professional Communities Professional Development Programme Pupil Premium Reading Recruitment Reseach Research Schools Review RISE Teams School Catering School Leaders SchoolPro TLC Schools Security SEND Sponsor Sponsors Study Visit Summer Conference Supply Teaching Sustainability SWIFT Central Team TEACHER Teachers Teaching And Learning Teaching School Hubs The Colyton Foundation Training UPDATE

    RSS Feed

    Mailing list

    sign up to SWIFT mailing list
    Access Octomono Masonry Settings
Picture
Picture
SPONSORED BY
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

Join us, be a part of our SWIFT community

apply for membership
© COPYRIGHT 2022 SOUTH WEST INSTITUTE FOR TEACHING SWIFT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED  | Website by brightblueC
 VIEW OUR PRIVACY NOTICES | VIEW OUR COURSE T&CS