Work not taking red alert seriously

[Founderflower]

Why are some people not taking the red weather warning seriously? Where I am it’s 39 degrees on Wed/ Thur but ‘feels like’ 42 according to BBC.

At work they’re expecting everyone in - the office is air conditioned, so fine, but we’re central London so everyone needs to schlep in on public transport.

Red means a danger to life and not just for vulnerable people. Some people who are healthy will die because of the weather. There’s warnings of power outages and transport failures. So what happens if we get stuck on a broken down underground train?

I KNOW other countries see these temps regularly. But they are prepared for dealing with it. England is not and it fucks up. I don’t want a heart attack from sitting in 48 degree heat on a train. I’m really stressed out!

If it were a red warning around severe wind or rain or flooding they wouldn’t be telling everyone to come in! So why is heat seen differently?

Nope. Not with a red warning which it now is.

I commuted into London from Kent full time for 9 years. I don't think we had a 'red alert' system in those days, but there were plenty of very hot days or snow days. If the trains/buses/tubes were running then we were expected to do our best to get there. Our personal discomfort absolutely didn't come into it. 😂

If the tube is too hot then get the bus, or if it's not an excessive distance, just walk.

My local council already announced a little while back that bin collections would be started from 5am this week so that they don’t have to work in the heat of the day. Everyone should take the precautions they can. The Met office says “Substantial changes in working practices and daily routines will be required”. For those that can, changing work hours, locations or tasks to mitigate the impact from the heat is clearly sensible.

Its looking like it won't go under 25 degrees in London, overnight, between Wednesday and Thursday. No way would I be getting on the tube. And the extreme heat brings out the worst in people.

If they're not closing boiling schools/nurseries, they aren't likely to close airconditioned offices. It is illogical the the UK has minimum but not maximum temperatures at work (though as you say, in your case it would only be travel to work that is affected anyway), and if you have a union, maybe lobby to change it.

I think this is very sensible . Our postie normally arrives at 11-11.30 but this morning 8.30. If possible anyone working in this heat should be able to be flexible with their hours .

Nonsense.

OMG! EEK! Totally fit and healthy people dropping dead by simply leaving the house and going about their normal business on a very hot day! It's a wonder no-one had outlawed going on holiday to Turkey in August yet. Perhaps they should? It's clearly exceptionally unsafe.

The 'red alert' warning is just that, a warning to be sensible. Last time this happened a few weeks ago, the people who died didn't die from the heat itself. They died from doing things like swimming in dangerous rivers. Just use your common sense and unless you are clinically vulnerable you will be absolutely fine.

But crowded rush-hour buses can also be very hot, especially if they get stuck in traffic. And if a commute involves a journey by tube, it's likely to be too far to walk in blazing sun.

I commuted into London from the London/Kent border for nearly 40 years, and I agree that there were hot days, but nothing like the temperatures that we're getting these days (and will be getting this week). Even so, I can remember struggling on the journey home when it got really hot.

Now that technological advantages allow many of us to work from home it makes sense for people to do that if they can. This kind of heat IS potentially dangerous, even for the young and fit, so it makes sense to take precautions where we can.

Luckily I work from home now. I miss the air-conditioned office, but I don't miss the awful journeys home in the heat. I used to take a thin cotton summer dress to the office so that I could change out of my business clothes after work to go home, but it could still be grim on the trains.

Let’s shut everything down then - hospitals included…
I also commute into London. Most trains have air con as well as some tube lines. Yes it is hot but not intolerable. Travel prepared - light clothing, water, sunscreen. If you’re so worried ask your employer if you can get in early and finish early to avoid the rush hour.

@GoingroundincirclesagainI'm on Cheapside, it's definitely doable in 25! But I am a quick walker, it keeps the weight off doing twice a day.

A few years ago I was stuck on the Tube, the Central Line, in a heatwave and after about 10-15 minutes it became unbearably hot and airless. (No aircon on that line then, and even if it was i think it goes off if the engine is off) .
I thought I was going to pass out. People were very kind, gave me a seat — it was packed — and passed me some water and a paper to fan myself with but as soon as it got moving around 30 minutes later I staggered off at the next stop. Ever since I always carry water with me (and take a nice airconditioned cab in heatwaves!)
The Central line is very deep under the City and it was between Liverpool St and Bank.

Do you understand basic physics? People give out heat. The more of them are crammed into a small space, the hotter that space will get.

She can't; she has a child to drop at school.

That I know, I've discussed it upthread. There definitely should be though.

It’s not going to make a significant difference in very high temperatures. It will still be over 40C on the tube whether you are travelling alone or with a bunch of other people.

There was not a red alert warning a few weeks ago. The last time it happened was in 2022

Maybe ppl wouldnt be so desperate to cool off if air con was fitted as standard!
does it happen in countries that have air con fitted as standard.

Excess deaths due to heat in 2022: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-66890135

Not all due to jumping in rivers.

I have cancelled going in to central London on Wednesday. I live in Norfolk. Trains were cancelled already today. The impact of heat on the railways is really disruptive.

Also at my hospital we have been frantically shifting as many appointments for Tuesday and Wednesday to online so as to save people coming in to London. Pretty sure that is part of the heat warning? Don't travel in to London if it can be avoided?

So you think a journey where you’re pit to pit with no room to even hold a fan (which is the case for many rush hour journeys) is just as comfortable as a journey where everyone has a seat and the carriage is mostly empty? Don’t be ridiculous

If people were desperate to cool off they could stand in a perfectly safe cold shower in their own bathroom or use a swimming pool.

People don't hurl themselves into rivers and jump off bridges into lakes that are too shallow because they are desperate to cool off. They do it because they think it seems like a lark. They get their crazy heads on when the sun comes out and start behaving like twits. Or they get drunk and fall asleep in the sun with no top on and get sunstroke and dehydration. Or they go to the beach for the day and go in the sea even though they are poor swimmers. I don't think anyone otherwise fit and healthy dies from simply having an uncomfortable commute to work.

You can really tell who actually has the reality of a commute on here can’t you!

Cold here.

So, what would happen if you don’t turn up at the office but do still demonstrably work from home? How might that pan out?