Office temperatures - what is the law?

[eastlondonseagull]

Our office is ridiculously hot. There are nine of us (plus computers, obviously) in a tiny mezzanine office and we're all knackered, sticky and often feeling poorly. One of my colleagues has just come back from a week off sick - he was tested for swine flu last week, so god knows what the result of that will be.

At the moment it's 28.4 in the office and yesterday it clocked 30.9 - with the window wide open. It's regularly over 26 degrees here.

Does anyone know the law on office health and safety?

Ta

 

[Curious Orange]

There is no upper limit - but if it drops below 16 degrees centigrade you'd be quite within your rights to go home

 

[Taybha]

Outside last night the temp was 19.5 at 2am,on the workplace shop floor it was 31.the progress of employers to provide its staff with pleasent comfortable surroundings seems to have been omitted at my gaff.

 

[clapham_gull]

The law states the temperature has to be reasonable, and employees are expected to take measures to ensure that it is.

The Health and Safety executive have always chickened out of placing a max tempature, because of the hassle of excluding factories, bakeries etc..

I feel sorry for you. My last employee didn't give two sh*ts about temperature in offices either.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

soppy old office workers, ive worked in those temps on a mezzie floor , complain to your manager or go and see the local health and safety authority they will make things happen believe me!!

 

[Billy the Fish]

In the office I'm working in this week it's ridiculously hot. Apparently over the winter there were arguments about the air-con being too cold, so facilities gave the office a vote to see if they wanted it turned off but on the understanding that it would never go back on again.

Needless to say a majority of absolute MONGS voted to turn it off and now I'm sitting here sweating my nuts off.

I'm toying with the idea of turning up in shorts and t-shirt tomorrow as I'm only a contractor.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

nice and hot in my back garden,ive just come inside for a cold drink!!

 

[theonesmith]

In the office I'm working in this week it's ridiculously hot. Apparently over the winter there were arguments about the air-con being too cold, so facilities gave the office a vote to see if they wanted it turned off but on the understanding that it would never go back on again.

Needless to say a majority of absolute MONGS voted to turn it off and now I'm sitting here sweating my nuts off.

I'm toying with the idea of turning up in shorts and t-shirt tomorrow as I'm only a contractor.

Similar story here- Our temperature control system in the office was considered too cold so they kept pestering the team to turn it up. They turned it up higher than is comfortable but it was ok then. Now we are perstering them to turn it down again as it's edging on 40 degrees!

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

to many office workers for my liking on here,try a bit of manual handling you bunch of light weights !!!

 

[The Ringleader]

i swear this is a maximum temperature at schools at least

 

[The Uninvited Guest]

If it's too hot get your kit off. I'm mowing the lawns naked waiting for our cleaner to turn up. She's 35, tall, blonde, single and has a dirty mind.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

If it's too hot get your kit off. I'm mowing the lawns naked waiting for our cleaner to turn up. She's 35, tall, blonde, single and has a dirty mind.

for other men ??

 

[seagulls4ever]

i swear this is a maximum temperature at schools at least

35'C I think. At least whenever it got to that temperature we'd hassle our teacher to let us go. Everyone seemed to think any higher was illegal.

 

[The Uninvited Guest]

for other men ??

Are you in the area? If so pop in for a cup of tea

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

Are you in the area? If so pop in for a cup of tea

are you suggesting a threesome

 

[gullshark]

I think there is a max temp law if you're doing labour intensive work (like in a warehouse and whatnot) but not in an office.

At least, that's what it was a couple years ago when we tried to have a go at my old company!

 

[pork pie]

Our office is ridiculously hot. There are nine of us (plus computers, obviously) in a tiny mezzanine office and we're all knackered, sticky and often feeling poorly. One of my colleagues has just come back from a week off sick - he was tested for swine flu last week, so god knows what the result of that will be.

At the moment it's 28.4 in the office and yesterday it clocked 30.9 - with the window wide open. It's regularly over 26 degrees here.

Does anyone know the law on office health and safety?

Ta

As has been said, there is no upper limit.

Perhaps you should ask your company to invest in heat pump air conditioning? We have it and it is great! Cheaper heating in the winter as well.

 

[The Ringleader]

35'C I think. At least whenever it got to that temperature we'd hassle our teacher to let us go. Everyone seemed to think any higher was illegal.

We start pestering in June and hope there dumb enough to let us go, dont work but there you go

 

[throbinson]

It gets ruddy hot on my bus behind all that glass just have to live with it and get on with it

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

The TUC are trying to get the goverment to set a maximum temperature, as stated on here already none is set at present. So get your union or rep to help this get noticed, previously in offices we have got fans and air condtioning units installed locally. Regulation 7 in this doc is useful if you need to chat or promt your management.

http://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/maxtemp2009.pdf