High temperatures in the office and maternity rights

[PandaBear]

Hi All,

Wonder if you can help because at the moment I'm really livid. Our office is currently just over 30 degrees, and being 26 weeks pregnant I'm finding it stifling (we also have a 28 week and a 32 week pregnant woman who are also suffering!). I have asked my boss to hire in some air conditioning units and he said no, because of the cost.

Does anyone have any idea whether I have a right to insist that they do something about this? I know that an employer has to do what they can to reduce any risks to an expectant mother's health/safety but does this include excessively high temperatures?

I'm so annoyed and any ammunition will help.

Thanks

[Hulababy]

I don't know if the rules are different for pregnancy rights, but there is currently no legal upper limit for temperature in terms of current working laws.

[Yorkiegirl]

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[Yorkiegirl]

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[Hulababy]

There is a lower limit though!

[Yorkiegirl]

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[Northerner]

Pandabear have a look at this

[wobblyknicks]

Would have thought it would be a good idea to ask your gp/midwife about your standing and maybe they could write you a letter for your employer to show that there is a risk to you and the other pregnant women. Then if the risks had been formally outlined, you'd be within your rights to walk out if nothing was done.

[Gingerbear]

you are entitled to a risk assessment at work when PG or breastfeeding. High temp could be classed as a risk to PG.

[beansprout]

We have a problem here with the building and the office routinely reaches 100 degrees, even when there it's not that bad outside e.g. this week!

I have a fan, lots of drinking water and an agreement that I can work at home if I need to. I also have a good boss, which helps!

That said, I have had to be here for meetings this week and have started to feel sick, dizzy and very, very tired, resulting in loss of concentration. All of these are signs of heat exhaustion. In short, the bottom line is that we don't have to make ourselves ill, and if we become so, have the right to be at home. Any sensible employer would surely prefer to have productive staff rather than sick staff and would hopefully support you in whatever you need. Agree that any risk assessment (an entitlement) would takem the heat factor into account.

Good luck - bottom line is being very preg and very hot is just miserable - bring on the rain!!

[bran]

I got into tons of trouble for walking out of my office when the air-conditioning had broken down for a month during the hot weather at the beginning of the summer. I sent an e-mail to everyone in the company saying that I wouldn't be working when the temperature was above 33C, so they should talk to me in the mornings if they needed me. I think it was the e-mail rather than the walking out that really pissed management off, but I'm not sorry because they did something about it.

I would suggest that you keep a personal thermometer at work so that you can take your own temperature. If your temperature goes above normal then you are at risk of heat stroke and should leave. Keep a record of your workplace and body temperature so that you can show that it's making you ill. A letter from your gp would probably stir them into action too. It's more expensive to be sued than to cool the office.

[highlander]

I've posted on the Coping In Hot Weather thread (still in pregnancy).

You are entitled to extra breaks etc once a certain temp/humidity is reached. There is a ton of legislation covering this - BUT, your workplace needs an occupational health assessment.

If your boss is refusing this - he is breaking the law.

Get it all in writing!

Good Luck

[whizzz]

Yup - there is no upper temp limit at the moment, only a lower one. The Health & Safety Exec has a lot of guidance however. Your employer has to recognise you (as a pregnant worker) is at more risk of heat stress & should have carried out a risk assessment. If you are suffering you have a right to a suitable 'rest facilities'. www.hse.gov.uk - check out the Free Leaflet section - under W for Welfare Regs

[PandaBear]

Thanks to you all for your suggestions. I think I'm getting somewhere with my boss as I saw him looking at a website for portable air conditioners!

[PandaBear]

Final update on this one. I;m now sat in front of a portable air conditioning unit, and am feeling very happy, more comfortable, and a little bit smug