As temperatures soar across the UK, UNISON, the UK’s largest union, is calling for an absolute legal maximum for temperatures at work. The union is warning that working in high temperatures can have a detrimental effect on people’s health, so is calling for the legal limit to be set at 30 degrees, or 27 degrees for strenuous work.
Recent warnings from the Met Office show how excessive heat can put our health and welfare at risk. Yet many workers across the UK often have to work in high temperatures, not only in the current heat wave but for many of their working days.
In a recent consultation submission*, the union highlighted various cases of workers’ health hit hard by being forced to work in high temperatures. These included people working in catering, hospitals, warehouses or even offices.
The union has taken cases for workers where employers have failed to make changes to reduce temperatures at work because there is no legal limit compelling them to do so. Dave Prentis, UNISON general secretary, said:
“The soaring temperatures are a welcome break from the grey gloom of winter. Whilst the summer heat is sure to be temporary, some people have to work in searing temperatures on a regular basis, due to poor insulation, no air conditioning or ventilation. These high temperatures have a really damaging impact on health – making people tired, ill and dehydrated.
“Without the backing of a legal limit on temperatures at work, some employers choose not to take action to protect their employees. This is why we need the government to act to set a maximum working temperature.”
The union is also warning that regular indoor work just below 30 degrees (or 27 degrees as applicable) would not be acceptable, and calling for employers to be specifically required to protect workers who work outside.
Case studies
UNISON Sefton Health Branch has reported members having to work in clinics that do not have any windows and have a heating pipe running along the length of the floor. Summer last year saw staff and patients being sick because of the heat.
Glasgow Housing UNISON Branch reports that over the years more electronic technology has been introduced particularly into the office environment which all generates excessive amounts of heat in buildings that are poorly designed, with either inadequate air conditioning units or none at all. The combination of all these factors makes it extremely uncomfortable and distressing for staff. “We have had on occasion members of staff fainting in one particular office and having to be sent home due to lack of appropriate cooling systems… the temporary fix of free standing circulation fans only circulates existing hot air. The owner of the premises who we have one lease with has continually denied our employer permission to install a more suitable system due to the cost to other owners within the industrial unit and continually moans that it’s only our organisation which has a union that are reporting problems.” So all the other workers must be suffering in silence and fear.
* Submission on the consultation on the revised Code of Practice (ACOP) of the Workplace Health, Safety, and Welfare Regulations ENDS