Workplace temperature
update
With summer on the way, there will undoubtedly be predictions of a hot summer in the media and with it, some uncertainty among organisations regarding the thermal comfort of workers. Stephen Thomas of the Health and Safety Technical Team discusses a recent official review of upper workplace temperatures and offers some guidance on thermal comfort.
HSE review
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health
(IOSH) recently assisted the Health and Safety
Executive (HSE) in the latter’s current review of
maximum temperatures in relation to workplaces, by
sending out a survey on the topic to its members.
The issue of maximum temperatures in workplaces
has long been contentious, and many unions have
campaigned for increased regulation. For example,
the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has repeatedly
called for the introduction of an upper limit on
workplace temperature, with UK summers being
predicted to get gradually hotter and drier over the
coming years.