To think there should be a maximum working temperature?

[RaggedBlousedPhilanthropist]

I work in a non-air conditioninged office.

it’s a public facing role so we can’t work from home unless we’re soley doing admin stuff.

it’s just too hot today!

I know if it goes under a certain temperature (16-degrees?) they are meant to send us home, but this is just too much!

🥵

@SleeplessInEngland

Add on more air con because the simmered will only get worse??

Yes....and why do you think these environmental changes are occurring? And getting worse? Yet you say we need more air con? There's the problem...

I spent a summer in Germany a few years back, never again. It’s like they hadn’t even heard of air con! But there are many places in the world that do have it.

where? i have worked here most of my adult life and there has been air-con in most places
Germans in general don't like air-con, especially if it causes large differences in inside compared to outside temperatures as it causes lots of people problems. They are very keen on other forms of ventilating buildings though, much to the chagrin of plenty of my British colleagues who bleat and whine in winter when we open the windows for 10 mintes every hour, no matter the outside temps.

Husband is also a chef and really suffers in this weather.

I do find it odd that so many people react to the heat, which is a result of climate change, by shouting for air conditioning... which will add to the problem.

Ten years ago that would have been a reasonable point - now we're past that where it can get so hot workplaces need that mitigation just to function. A better solution than 'don't get air-con' is thus needed for climate change.

Summers not simmered....apt typo

Yes I do,dh does a very manual job outside!

If employers are forced to install air in and then pay all running cost then don't expect a decent pay rise/bonus!!

This crappy argument is always used when better working conditions/rights are suggested.

That’s 130 in old money. Those temperatures are a risk to health for someone who isn’t acclimatised. They probably should close temporarily or serve food that doesn’t require cooking. If I was staying in a hotel and was only served cold food due to the kitchen experiencing temperatures like that I’d be perfectly happy.

Surely in medical settings it’s even more important to keep to safe temperatures as many of the patients/pregnant women will be medically vulnerable.

Hmmm true though....'crappy' or otherwise.

It's expensive and needs maintaining

Who do you suggest shoulders the cost?

i do think it is worth having conversations with employers about expectations when we know it will be really hot. Same as we often look at UK from elsewhere and are stunned at the number of snow-days in winter.

Now lots of jobs can be done at home, and more flexibly, it makes sense to encourage people who can be flexible to work in the most comfortable conditions they can. Friends of mine in UK are headed to the office this week despite train companies asking people not to travel, so they can take advantage of aircon. I'm staying home because while my office is cool, the trains to get there most definitely aren't. (and i see there are delays). I opted to start early and take a break when it got too hot and will start again in a while when it's cooler (in my downstairs hallway which is cool). Obvs not everyone can do that.

For outside jobs? can they start earlier in the cooler parts of the day, when this kind of weather hits? Can there be gazebos etc (heat reflecting rather than absorbing) more breaks, water provided, slackening of uniform rules (saftey compliance to be adhered to) etc etc. As they do in countries where they are used to heat? We could all learn from each other rather than "pshaw! it gets to 90° here at 10am and we just get on with it" type of comments?

I do find it odd that so many people react to the heat, which is a result of climate change, by shouting for air conditioning... which will add to the problem

You’re not wrong, but what’s your solution? I suppose you think people should just “get used to it”. Not everyone can. I have some health issues. When I get too hot I get nausea, dizziness, I start shivering, these are not signs to ignore. It happened to me at one point yesterday. That’s when I decided to use my air con and why I’m not skimping on it today.

I wfh and luckily in a very flexible job. So I worked all day Saturday so I could just do 4hrs per day yesterday and today. Which I did from 7-11am. If we’re going to see high temperatures as the norm then yes employers should be prepared to make adjustments. It may not mean air con but there are things that can be done. Adjusted hours, shorter shifts, maybe at least an air conned staff room for breaks. Something! Not just get on with it and if you get sick/die tough luck!

unfortunately most people wouldn’t be happy with that which sucks. He’s the head chef in a 5 star hotel so the customers get what they want basically! I do worry about him though, he’s diabetic so the heat can really effect his blood sugars.

Some unions are calling for maximum indoor working tempartures. The TUC suggests 30c. www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jul/19/heat-deadly-workers-uk-no-maximum-workplace-temperature

If people can afford to cut down to shorter shifts or take a day or three unpaid of course

Not everyone can
And those who can't take the time may well ending up working twice as hard to cover those who have gone home

You can't air condition a place where elderly people live and feel the cold just for the staff benefit. They all moan about fans being on and want their cardigans and blankets as it is! Its hot, we have to deal with it.

The employer! If they can’t maintain working conditions for their employees then that’s their concern. Why is it immediately the employee pay/bonus that’s mentioned and not the employer?

Changing working hours, adapting is needed. We don’t have politicians wanting to commit to Net Zero or seriously long plan, so we need to learn to live with these seasonal extremes as a routine.

Then they can put their cardigans on if the air conditioning is needed. Problem solved.

How would this work with things like the wedding and events industry, where typically things are date sensitive? Everyone mentions essential workers (understandably) but can you imagine getting a call from your wedding photographer or caterer on the morning of your wedding to say they weren't coming because it's "too hot"?

They'd be vilified, refunds owed, compensation demanded, bad reviews left.

I'd bloody love to not have to work 12 hour days, mostly outdoors (whilst pregnant) when it gets unbearably hot. But hot or not things cannot just grind to a halt and there are entire industries that would collapse.

I'm a chef and cope with 3 baths a day and lollies.
I must admit to it being hard to dash about but for 2 days it is doable.
I think plenty of people would struggle to do my job,then again do we need council workers outside in this heat.
Anyone outside has my sympathies.
I can't see a maximum temp working tbh.

In the case of a care home, you could have a designated staff room that does have air con, so staff can go and cool down. When I’ve travelled to hot countries it’s those little breaks in things like air conditioned cafes that’s kept me going through the heat.

With regards to my comment on shorter shifts. What I mean is, say A & B are chefs at the same place, who do 8 hour shifts. Give them the option to split some days, 4 hours each, if they want to of course! So no loss of pay as still doing the same hours. A very rough example, but that’s the idea.

This is looking at it backwards. As extreme heatwaves become more frequent prospective couples will demand adequately chilled venues. No-one's going to want their wedding guests to feel disgustingly hot for a whole day.

If I was invited to a wedding and knew the venue would be unbearably hot and uncomfortable I wouldn’t go.

My local cafe just shared the air temp in their kitchen 53.1 degrees Celsius. They closed early

i have 3 childminder friends on facebook

1 is trying to close early another is considering it. parent of one child is really kicking off!