To think that staff deserve heating too?

[fluffyanimal]

The students broke up on Friday and I'm sat here in my office and it's glacial. Normally it's really stuffy. I have a thermal vest on, a big thick jumper and my winter boots and I'm frozen. If the uni expects us to work during vacation time, then why are we expected to endure this? And most of the coffee bars are on reduced opening times.
Grrr.

I'm sure there are legal limits. Do you have a thermometer?

No, I should get one. There probably is a H&C thing about it.

I might write to the VC. He wants us to be a "world class" university. Well the heating is Victorian.

Sorry I know nobody else cares but I'm just enjoying a bit of MN venting.

is it 16 or 17 degrees then its illegal to work in a building that cold!

well maybe not illegal, dont think the police will be intersted, but you DONT have to put up with that!

I agree, you shouldn't be having to work like that at all. Infact you are probably not getting much done as a result of it!

This is the legal side I think:

• a reasonable working temperature in workrooms usually at least 16°C, or 13°C for strenuous work (unless other laws require lower temperatures); (covered under HSE)

Well tbh I'm a soft pansy, I think I'd definitely find 16C cold.

You're right Hula, I'm not getting much done - but then that's because it's the first day of the vacation and I haven't had to rush round like a mad thing and can actually come on MN for once. But I do keep having to break off typing so that I can sit on my hands to warm them up.

Really 16/17 degrees is illegal?

Our house is 16 degrees at the moment and it doesn't feel cold while I'm up and about doing chores etc. I'll put the heating on as I leave to collect DC's, as we'll sit down and have a rest when we get back.

I would be complaining if I was at work though

Many years ago I worked for a DIY company. They built a new central distribution warehouse which was completed in December. It was freezing cold! Absolutely freezing. The staff were really struggling. In the end they had to provide some form of heating. Guess why? Because the low temperatures were detrimental to the tins of paint...

perpetualworrier - if doing manual work then recommendations for a workplace is a bit lower at 13 degrees. For non manual it is 16 degrees.

just in business's i think, i workedin a large retail store a while ago and they had to close when temp dropped below 16 degrees!