To think employers should be required to provide air conditioning

[SweatingToTheGrave]

Yes I'm moaning about the heat!

I'm sat in the office which is a literal sun trap, sweating like hell, pregnant and with one measley fan blowing hot air in my face. My clothes are literally sticking to me and it's actually making me feel ill now.

AIBU to think that employers should be required by law to provide air conditioning for these sorts of weather conditions? I honestly feel like I can't work productively at all today.

Okay some might tell me to get a grip and maybe I'm being OTT because of the hormones but why should I sit here sweating through my clothes, feeling sick and with a headache because employers aren't required to have proper provisions in place

I'm considering not coming at all tomorrow if it's like this again!

YANBU, surely you'd just make loads of mistakes with your work if it's that bad. In the NHS a lot of people work in converted cupboards with all the ventilation of a cupboard and absolutely dread the summer months.

Setting aside the Issue of aircon which is impractical in many offices and terrible environmentally, employers should be made to relax dress codes and allow people to work at home where possible to help people stay cool on days where it's this hot.
My tiny office doesn't have aircon so I did my days at home wearing a vest and shorts.

Yanbu - you are incubating a radiator. I remember so well the heat of late pregnancy without the temperature of the workplace added to it. Can you work from home?

I think it would be pointless for employers to get air con for the sake of these temperatures for, 1 week in the year??

Be thankful you don't live in hotter countries!

My symptathies though as you are pregnant so it is harder, and make sure you stay hydrated to help your headache!!

I'd just have a bout of morning sickness return for the next few days

I must admit I've never suffered this badly I don't think when I wasn't pregnant so that must be the reason why I'm feeling it that much extra this year.

They don't allow home working unfortunately!

I just feel like sitting in front of my fan and doing nothing until I can leave and get in my underwear after a cold shower.

Agree with @BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

That's ridiculous that they don't have air con. They can't expect you to work like that. Go home!

Maybe you fainted on the way home today due to heat and can't come in tomorrow

YABU - If you are feeling sick and headachey, go home and put your feet in a basin of cold water.

Air-Con is really bad for the environment. Combatting the effects of global warming with something that makes it worse, is nuts!
There are some places that might need it - hospitals, care homes. But most offices don't. Make sure the office windows are closed and blinds are down from about 11am - that will help with keeping the temperature down.

Trust me you'll get sick of the arguments over air con, in our office no body is happy with the temperature, either somebody is freezing or someone is too hot, there is literally no pleasing anyone

OP I have actually left work saying I felt unwell - well, I did, have low blood pressure and it gets lower.

one time I had a boss who was really annoyed about it but all he could do was make PA comments really.

I agree in principle yes. Hospitals are what really get me, I don't know how the staff and patients cope.

Have your employers done a pregnancy risk assessment? If it doesn't mention heatwaves and extreme temperatures flag this up to them on the grounds that heat exhaustion, dehydration, fainting, dizziness are all more likely and more dangerous when you're pregnant, and ask them to make some reasonable adjustments (maybe temporarily reduced hours, working from home, ability to use a different work space, relaxing of uniform rules).
I really do sympathise, I'm 30weeks and it's horrendous.
But I don't think mandating air con provision in all workplaces is viable, for many reasons.

I 100% agree all offices should provide a comfortable and safe working environment. This heat is unbearable, and we are due 5 years of hot summers in a row - so places need to be forward thinking and install it now.

We have installed it at home and have it on from about April - October to guarantee good quality sleep, which defo makes us more productive.

No, it would be ridiculous although I think most will accept that these days will be slightly less productive than usual

Okay in my selfish sweaty misery I didn't really consider the environmental factor so I take that point!

But just something to make it more comfortable for staff, possibly like some of the suggestions above.

Someone, I think it was a US company ran an experiment. They found that for every degree over 30C. You loose 10% productivity.

re environment, I don't know how many people would suggest getting rid of heating in places that have that?

I work in a listed building so anything like aircon is really difficult to get approved.
Also I'm in the public sector so the idea of spending on aircon is highly unlikely.

No comment on the opinions; practical help. Is there a freezer or fridge? What I’ve been doing today is freezing wet flannels and taking them out putting them in a tea towel and on the back of my neck and/or down on my chest (under the clothes), or anywhere really. Ditto freezer packs. Just keep rotating them and refreezing. As long as I’ve got a freezing/frozen thing in contact with skin I’ve honestly felt ok. Ok enough. It def makes a difference. Your company can’t install aircon at the drop of a hat but they could buy a cheap freezer for precisely this, if enough of you want to try it.

Someone, I think it was a US company ran an experiment. They found that for every degree over 30C. You loose 10% productivity.

I don't know if it's legally required, but it's pretty much universal here. Even warehouses and factories have aircon in the US.

Modern air conditioning was invented in the US by a bloke named Carrier to remove humidity from a printing plant. The humidity was causing the paper to swell and soften to the point where it was jamming up the printing presses. So it was actually invented for the workplace.

Be thankful you don't live in hotter countries!

If we were working in offices in hotter countries, they’d have aircon.

OP, can I recommend a cooling towel? I’ve only just discovered them and they’re miraculous!

Be thankful you don't live in hotter countries!

Regardless of where I live it's too bloody hot today in my office!

Yep, its that hot my eyelids are sticking when i blink. I have sweat rolling down my back and my pvc chair is nicely moist. I dont even have a shitty fan. On the brightside I'm going straight to the pub for a nice cold glas of wine when i finish.

Give me this weather any day over gloomy rain.

louder I worked in a listed building last summer, in London. Obviously the prime location and snob appeal was of far greater importance to the man running the company than providing modern offices that were fit for purpose, the flaws of this building not being limited to no air con.

(Why do people always bring up hotter countries on this threads? It’s such a stupid tiresome pointless comment that gets dragged out every time)

Cleaning a client's house. All the blinds down to keep out the heat but it was still 27c in there.
A 2.5 hr job took me an hour longer (won't get paid for that), all because I was feeling so faint and couldn't go any faster .