Legal Requirements Relating to Workplace Temperature Highlighted
Weather forecast states that it will be a long time before freezing stops. Recently, there has been some thawing in certain areas and some schools have started again while it has been snowing in
Considering the sudden cold wave in the country, trade union GMB has stated that a large number of inquiries about the regulations relating temperature control at the workplace have been made recently.
National Health and Safety Officer of GMB, John McClean stated that at least 16 degree Celsius or 63 F temperature has to be maintained inside the workplace for sedentary employees and 13 degrees Celsius or 58F for physical labourers. In case the temperature is lower than these limits then extra heaters must be used to control the temperature.
In case the workplace involves the risk of slipping due to snow and it is not possible to use gritting then the employees have to be shifted to another workplace.
The weather factsheet released by the Workplace Law Network lists out the obligations imposed by law on the employers for all seasons. In summers and winters, the employers have to conduct a risk assessment of the workplace by considering the impact of cold or hot weather.
Some of the methods that can be using for fighting cold are adequate PPE, providing movable services like warmed cabins and giving hot drinks with adequate free time for consuming them. Also, work practices could be changed to decrease contact with cold air such as by rotation of workers and some of the work could be shifted to the warmer part of the year.
Workplace Law Training & Consulting is equipped to provide professionally accredited training in key areas of workplace law and practice. They are accredited by the National Examination Board for Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) and the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) to deliver internationally recognised health and safety courses. In addition to these accredited programmes, they also provide training certified by Workplace Law Group for a wide range of courses.
