The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is advising businesses to think about how they need to adapt to warmer working conditions for their staff.
After last month’s record-breaking temperatures and with
more hot weather this month, HSE is asking employers to ensure extreme heat
becomes part of their long-term planning.
With temperatures reaching 40oC in some parts
of the UK in July, adapting to climate change is something all businesses will
need to consider as warmer weather becomes more frequent.
Employers have a legal obligation under the Management of
Health and Safety at Work Regulations to assess risks to the health and safety
of their workers. They must review the risk controls they have in place and
update them if needed. This includes risks from more frequent extreme weather,
such as heatwaves.
While there is no maximum temperature for workplaces, 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.
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations
require employers to provide a reasonable temperature in the workplace.
John Rowe, HSE’s Acting Head of Operational Strategy,
said:
“We expect employers to take this recent weather event as
the prompt to review how they assess the risk of high temperatures in their
workplace and identify now those changes that will future proof them.”
“All workplaces need to acknowledge that the working
environment is changing. There are low-cost adaptations to the structure of
work, but things like improved ventilation and air conditioning should also be
considered, which will involve investment in the workplace.”
“Extreme heat that we have witnessed of late isn’t going
to stop and we want employers to plan and respond to this now.”
Here, you can find more guidance on taking practical steps
to work safely in hot conditions:
Temperature: What the Law says
See: Heat warning: Employers must prepare for a warmer future
| HSE Media Centre
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