Severe heat health alerts issued in the UK due to high temperatures.
With the extreme weather warning issued by the Met Office, we just wanted to clarify what your legal duties are and provide you with some useful tips on reducing the associated risks.
We often get asked is there a legal maximum temperature in which people can work?
The answer is no, but workplaces should ideally be at least 16C or 13C if the job is mostly physical. Guidance states workplace temperature must be ‘’reasonable’’ with ‘’clean and fresh air’’. Additionally, the Health & Safety at Work Act means employees are generally responsible for employees’ welfare. As an employer, you have a legal duty to implement reasonably practicable controls.
So, what can you do?
Here’s a few examples of measures you can introduce to protect your workers:
- reschedule work to cooler times of the day or another day
- provide plenty of sun cream
- encourage more frequent rest breaks
- provide hats
- ensure access to cool drinking water
- introduce shading in areas where individuals are working
- encourage the removal of personal protective equipment when resting to help encourage heat loss
- ensure blinds are closed
- provide air conditioning units or fans
- open windows
- ensure air conditioning is operational within vehicles
- relax the company clothing policy/formal dress code
- switch off electrical equipment that’s not in use or required (some of our clients only offer cold food on days when temperatures are extreme to avoid using the hobs and ovens)
- educate workers about recognising the early symptoms of heat stress.
Are you responsible for any areas which have open water? Make sure you have done all that is reasonable, to prevent trespassers gaining access.
Symptoms of heat stress:
– Unable to concentrate
– Experiencing muscle cramps
– A heat rash
– Fainting
– Heat exhaustion – fatigue, giddiness, nausea, headache, moist skin
– Severe thirst – a late symptom of heat stress
– Heat stroke – hot dry skin, confusion, convulsions and eventual loss of consciousness. This is the most severe disorder and can result in death if not detected at an early stage.
In addition to the above physical symptoms, you also need to consider employees overall emotional wellbeing and ensure all staff are monitored and effectively supported.
If employees show any signs of heat exhaustion, you should immediately ensure you stop work and allow employees to recover.
Although we might consider outdoor workers to be more vulnerable to the risks of hot weather, it is important we remember our indoor workers as well. Those that may work in confined spaces or environments that are normally hot anyway eg, kitchens, bakeries, boiler rooms and to ensure suitable controls are implemented.
Finally, do ensure your site risk assessments incorporate extreme weather. With heatwaves becoming more likely and more extreme because of climate change, this is likely to be an ongoing risk that we’re all going to have to manage.
Should you like any advice on how to apply the measures above, then just get in touch here.