Britain is currently seeing temperatures higher than for several decades... Still, most people continue to do their day jobs without air conditioning.. We are not used to such situations here - so what do you think/feel the temperature limit is for working?
The truck driver that arrived here today to deliver a package said his van was 38 degree Centigrade inside. When I visited Australia in their summer during a heatwave, the temperature was over 43 degrees C (as I remember). In these temperatures I can't really stay outside for more than 10-15 minutes unless there is wind.. I can work inside, outside of the sun if I have a fan and am almost naked - hehe.. But what about people working in offices, hospitals, schools and elsewhere that don't have air conditioning? At what point can they just go home and threaten to sue their employer if they try to stop them?
According to this TUC (Trade Union) document from 2009, there actually is no maximum legal limit for working temperatures in Britain, but there is for minimum temperatures. Whether this is because it is uncommon for Britain to get this hot is unclear - however, this basically means that until people start becoming seriously ill or die from heat related causes, they have no reliable, legal way to excuse themselves from work without possibly facing issues as a result.
The document states that:
The legal position
An employer must provide a working environment which is, as far as is reasonably practical, safe and without risks to health. In addition, employers have to assess risks and introduce any necessary prevention or control measures. Unfortunately there is no maximum temperature for workers. The regulations which do exist are misunderstood, rarely heeded and impossible to enforce. This is in contrast to the minimum temperature which is recognised by workers and employers alike. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 lay down particular requirements for most aspects of the working environment. Regulation 7 of these Regulations deals specifically with the temperature in indoor workplaces and states that: “During working hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall
be reasonable.” What is “reasonable” however is not laid down.
The associated ACoP goes on to explain:
‘The temperature in workrooms should provide reasonable comfort without the need for special clothing. Where such a temperature is impractical because of hot or cold processes, all reasonable steps should be taken to achieve a temperature which is as close as possible to comfortable.” In respect of low temperatures, the ACoP is clear. They state
“The temperature in workrooms should normally be at least 16 degrees Celsius unless much of the work involves severe physical effort in which case the temperature should be at least 13 degrees Celsius. “ When it comes to high temperature there is no such clarity. The ACoP says “Where the temperature in a workroom would otherwise be uncomfortably high, for example because of hot processes or the design of the building, all reasonable steps should be taken to achieve a reasonably comfortable temperature.” The ACoP goes on to lay down some very sensible ways in which this should be done. "
So what should we do when working in these temperatures?
My feeling is that any sane person understands that no work can be done if we are ill or dead. Therefore, we must always put our own wellbeing before work - unless, perhaps people will get ill or die if we don't work... But even then, it is no use us being killed to try to stop others being killed!
Since I am technically 'self employed', I decide when I work and that suits me fine. If I worked for an employer I would generally do my best to work in the heat, but if it became unbareable, I would stop.
For those who work in life and death situations such as hospitals, the situation is less clear - but at the very least serious pressure must be made for air conditioning to be installed in locations where it is not currently used!
Comments?
What do you think? How do you deal with these issues in areas of the world where temperatures are regularly this high or hotter?
Wishing you well,
Ura Soul
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