There is literally nothing us Brits love to talk about more than the weather. Whether it’s cold and miserable or hotter than the sun – we will find a way to bemoan the seasons like there’s no tomorrow.
But this week, we may be justified in our groaning, because the mercury is hitting 34 degrees Celsius in some parts of the country. We’ve also just experienced the hottest bank holiday on record.
Working in these conditions is certainly not easy. Especially if your office or working from home space doesn't have air conditioning – or worse, still, your job takes you outdoors. While there are some tricks you can try to make things more bearable, at a certain point, it feels like something has to give.
With the UK clearly not equipped for this extreme heat, it begs the question – do we continue to slap on the SPF, turn on our fans, and enjoy an ice lolly while getting on with our everyday lives, or should we be able to swap the office for WFH or even take time off from work until the unbearably sweltering climes pass by?
What temperature is too hot to work?
Because the heat in the UK this week is nothing like we've ever felt before and subsequently something that hasn't been planned for, there is not a specific temperature in place by the law that specifies when exactly it's too hot to work. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) guidance only sets a minimum temperature to work at 16C (60.8F) or, if physical labour is involved, 13C (55.4F). However, their recent guidance surrounding the weather states that the temperature in a workplace must be "reasonable" with "clean and fresh air".
The HSE says: "Employers must make sure indoor workplaces remain at a reasonable temperature and manage the risk of working outdoors in hot environments, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The workplace regulator is sharing guidance ahead of the extreme warm weather predicted for Great Britain at the start of next week.
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"A heatwave warning is in place until Tuesday (19 July), so HSE is reminding employers of their legal duty to ensure employees can work in reasonable temperatures in indoor workplaces. What is reasonable varies and will depend upon the nature of the individual workplace.
"There is no maximum temperature for workplaces, but all workers are entitled to an environment where risks to their health and safety are properly controlled. Heat is classed as a hazard and comes with legal obligations like any other hazard.
“Workers should also take care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions at work.”
So, basically, UK employers are being actively encouraged to assess and evaluate their staff's legal health and safety responsibilities on an individual basis as the temperatures soar. It is your right to work for an employer who makes good judgment when assessing their working environments to determine the duty of care for each staff member, because if high temperatures cause potential harm to employees, especially those with underlying health issues, it would be included in their company's risk assessment.
But just know, it's totally normal.
Measures that have already been taken by workplaces or are advised to take, include relaxing formal work uniforms, providing fans, and changing office layouts to make sure work stations are not by direct sunlight.
Ideally, it has been encouraged to allow staff to work from home. If that's not possible, then employers are advised to allow their team to travel to work and go home at off-peak hours to avoid uncomfortable temperatures during their commute.
Gary Rycroft, a solicitor at Joseph A Jones & Co, told The Telegraph that it is essential for employers to consider "duty of care" when asking their workers in the office when temperatures are so high.
Mr. Rycroft said: "To be clear, such guidance and regulations are not what we call 'black letter law', by which I mean legal rules well known and beyond doubt, but rather a sensible means of navigation to avoid future legal problems."
So, in a nutshell, there's no law in place to tell you when it's “too hot to work” – instead, it's up to the good judgment of each employer and employee on how they want to see through this heatwave. Most importantly, just stay cool, everyone!
