to think there needs to be a maximum working temperature.

[HelenaDove]

Ive been shocked to read on here and see and feel in RL how hot some workplaces are getting (namely some of the shops ive been in) some of the posts ive seen on here are really worrying. IMO there needs to be a maximum working temperature . This hot hot weather has gone on MUCH longer than the Beast from the East snow did. Why on earth does there have to be a death in this so called first world country before anything changes........i actually think thats what its probably going to take before anything MIGHT be done .

amp.theguardian.com/careers/2017/jun/21/working-in-a-heatwave-your-legal-rights?__twitter_impression=true

Definitely agree.

I spent several years working mainly outside for the National Trust. While I wholeheartedly agree that working in the sort of temperatures we’re seeing at the moment is pretty hard, if we’d packed up work because of it, we’d have had a lot of dead plants and pissed off visitors! Tbh, I found it harder to work in sub zero winter conditions. But I do agree that temperatures inside buildings, especially schools and hospitals, should be better controlled. Not going to happen any time soon though I suspect.

Yanbu OP. I wouldn’t even suggest that everyone just go home but even a relaxing of ridiculous uptight rules, in line with basic common sense, would be a huge improvement!

It has been 35 degrees in the seating area out the front where I work (inside). Obviously the temperature inside the kitchen, with the grill, oven and fryers, is even higher. We have air extractors, an air con unit and a fan. It’s not enough. There are no windows to open to help with airflow. We HAVE to work in long sleeved chef jackets, steel toe caps and hats (company uniform), and more often than not we don’t get breaks (yes, I know, TECHNICALLY we are supposed to but we live in the real world and if its busy, breaks are not possible). Lately I have felt like I can’t breathe.

Makes me laugh when people who work in air conditioned offices with much more free choice of clothing complain that it’s too hot to work.

Schools do relax the uniform rules but it’s still so hot.
I work in a school that finishes tmw and it is so hot, it’s unbearable.,
I think the recommended max is 30 degrees for offices.

Should be as illegal as too cold but lots of people don’t realise one is legal. There isn't a legal minimum either. The only legal requirement is for the temperature to be "reasonable".

(There is a code of practice which suggests that it should be over 16deg; or over 13deg if the work is physical)

YANBU I'm lucky that I work in a temperature controlled environment so it's comfortable whatever outside is doing. I've worked in other places that got stupidly hot in the sunshine and stupidly cold in the winter but nowhere near as bad as the kitchens some other people have mentioned here. Both extremes should be legislated for, and I say that as someone who loves the heat and rarely gets too hot.

YANBU OP. My office is on the top floor of a glass building - and I have two large windows. It's south facing and the build up of heat was absolutely unbearable in the summer. It affected my heart rhythm and I was often lightheaded and on the verge of fainting. I now have air conditioning and it's absolutely brilliant. I'm able to concentrate and can, well basically do my job better.

I’ll just contact the MOD and ask them to let DH, DS1 and the rest of the armed forces not currently deployed stay at home because they don’t go to war when it’s hot or cold so don’t need to be at work. Oh wait a minute...

All the time we're not willing to invest in air conditioning as standard when building new schools/shops etc, I completely agree.

DS' school stated last week they'll be finishing school early if the temperature reached over 30. The building's windows are fucking huge, there's a few fans between all the classrooms. It's not safe.

There are so many obvious caveats and implementations required for this to be even remotely workable means YABU.

Those countries that have maximum heat temperatures are those out in the desert which is a life of death situation, industries such as blast furnace or smelting etc usually ramp up production overnight.

Its a british case of moan about the weather.

I work in a residential home and we'll never get air con! Can't be sent home as the residents would die. They are kept cool with fans on constantly, doors and windows open, loads of ice lollies and cold drinks etc. Bloody awful for staff though!!!

what about hospitals? people dont stop being sick because its hot.

This is something that really fucks me off about the UK. Extreme, dangerous weather exists on both ends of the thermometer.

We're literally not built for this weather. The roads are fucking melting! Air-con is vanishingly rare. In countries where temperatures like this are the norm, measures are put in place to ensure that people are safe from the heat. There's air-con. They don't walk about in the middle of the day bare-chested. Workmen work until 10am and resume at 5pm when the sun's gone down. There's air-con. Kids aren't expected to wear fucking blazers and ties and limit their water-intake to twice a day during their breaks. There's AIR-CON!

Happy for the country to grind to a halt during a snowstorm, everyone stay inside it's a bit nippy out there. But don't you dare not enjoy the weather when it's roasting

There is in Europe

HelenaDove
im childfree by choice but schools could

a. relax the uniform rules so the pupils dont get so hot

Already done, some of them are turning up in hoodies/coats or both.

b. spend some of the money that they get from the pricey uniform that can only be bought from their exclusive shops on getting air con installed.

Not all schools have expensive exclusive uniforms.

You cant expect children to concentrate on their work properly in this heat.

You can't but then not all parents would be happy if they stayed home.

This country really isn't designed for heat. It isn't actually that hot (certainly no where near hot enough to consider closing schools etc). Town planing needs to be improved-there is not enough shade and not enough green space, the result is that the heat ends up trapped in all the concrete. The roads are often windy preventing breezes but I can see the advantages of this in winter but then again how many people are actually out/have windows etc open in the winter? Public buildings like shopping centres, schools, hospitals etc should all have air conditioning-they already have ducted heating so it is ridiculous not to have aircon. New buildings are usually ridiculously over insulated. It doesn't get cold enough for long enough to justify things like triple glazing etc. If half a thought was given to how we organised our public spaces it simply wouldn't get hot enough for anyone to really suffer.

Extreme, dangerous weather exists on both ends of the thermometer.

Yes it does, so until we get regular summer temperatures we are having now and not once in a 40 year cycle then measures will not be put in place.

It's the same that happens in winter, these threads come from a selfish perspective, generally they still expect goods to be delivered, shelfs stacked, hospitals etc to be open and most importantly not lose a days pay and expecting businesses of all shapes and sizes to suck up the costs.

We are in the middle of a heat wave, if it continues for the next few years then a lot of people can expect to do evening shifts to cover the hours missed in the heat of the day, and that will bring out even more complaints.

When I worked overseas we finished at 2pm in the summer. The only places open were the bars/restaurants and the supermarket.

I work in a kitchen. We have to wear hats and jackets over our normal clothes. We are not allowed fans as apparently it "cools the food"
With the ovens, the survery, hot food it's ridiculous hot in there.

Justanotherlurker its becoming more and more commonplace These heatwaves have happened regularly.........i listed several times i could remember off the top of my head upthread and the link in my OP is from last year.

This has lasted a lot longer than the snow did

It has already been happening more and more often.

Schools don’t profit from uniforms!

Other than that I agree with your points.

I have to cover my tattoos for work which means head to toe in black. Ive passed out twice!!

Only if we can have a minimum office temp of 22 °. (Sitting down, inactive). And no air conditioning until it's actually hot outside.

Unison have some guidance: www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2014/08/TowebTemperature-at-Work-Information-Sheet-Aug14-update2.pdf

My employer has a max temperature- 32 degrees.

Dark

I went into a very well known discount store (it has two initials as its title) it was like a greenhouse in there. The staff were very red faced and had been given these piddly little blue plastic fans.

I posted about it on one of their social media pages as a customer pointing out how hot and cloying it was in there and nada..............nothing. This was 3 weeks ago.