With temperatures rising as the summer season encroaches on our lives, it is expected that employers ensure their workers are protected during hot weather.
Regulations
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations require employers to provide a reasonable indoor temperature in the workplace, dependent on the work activity and environmental conditions.
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations require employers to provide a reasonable workplace temperature for indoor areas of construction sites and, where construction activities are occurring outdoors, provide protection from adverse weather. Provided rest facilities must also be maintained at an appropriate temperature.
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The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations require employers to:
- Assess the risk to workers from temperature extremes when they are working, regardless of whether the work is conducted indoors or outdoors.
- Put controls in place to protect them (these may change according to the season);
- Consult with the workforce or their reps on how they can cope with either high or low temperatures.
Minimum workplace temperatures
These are discussed in the Approved Code of Practice, which accompanies the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations (ACoP L24), with the minimum temperature for working indoors normally being at least:
- 16°C or
- 13°C if much of the work involves rigorous physical effort
Higher workplace temperatures
These are harder, but just as important to manage, because these temperatures can already be high due to the workplace activity, with environmental conditions/weather, just contributing to the problem. A foundry, a bakery, a kitchen, where machinery is being operated, are all instances where workplace temperatures can be expected to be higher than, say, an office environment.
However, all workers are entitled to a work environment where risks to their health and safety are properly controlled. Heat is classed as a hazard with risk and comes with legal obligations like any other hazard.
We provide Thermal Discomfort at Work guidance and associated documents on our H&S Portal. These are there to help you record findings and create evidence of due diligence being conducted.
HSE’s website also provides information and guidance on this matter; temperatures in the workplace, including:
- What the law says.
- Managing workplace temperature;
- Preventing heat stress;
- Protecting those working outdoors.
To avoid accidents, causing harm and facing prosecution, ensure your business complies with health and safety law in 2025, by:
- Conducting risk assessments as and when required (prior to undertaking activities).
- Providing training regarding the risks involved and how to manage them.
- Supervising risk management, as necessary, until competence is demonstrated.
- Formally reviewing risk assessments and associated safe systems of work regularly.
- Updating training provided (toolbox talks, in-house or external formal training).
- Keeping/updating records of all the above processes.
Need help with a Health and Safety issue? Please get in touch.