to be comtemplating walking out of work because of the temperature?

[hatwoman]

It's 31.5 degrees. It's been the same every summer since we've been in our lovely new refurbished building. we complain every summer. they don't seem to get it. should we campaign for a desk swap? perhaps if we got some senior managers and HR types up on the top west facing floor for an afternoon they'll do something.

If the temp becomes too high it becomes a health and safety risk so YANBU.

Have a look at this

explains laws/guidelines.

There is no upper limit for temperature under law, iirc.

Won't they provide electric fans or something similar?

At my old job I thought they took our comments about it being like hell a little to literally....

Couldn't provide fans because it was a health and safety issue ... or maybe just too tight...

Trust HR and senior management to get the West Wing!! I suggest a sit in ...

yes there are no legal limits I'm afraid. Where I used to work they hired in portable air con units

where I used to work they wouldnt let us open the windows (health and safety windows to low) but they did buy us ice cream instead!!

You can get portable air con units. Our office used to get as hugh as 40 degrees in teh summer , now in lovely new air conditioned bit.

There is no legal maximum temp, but they should be reasonable about this!

The summer I was Pg my office got up to 105 I was baking and the staff were complaining to me and I was 8 months gone. Like I hadn't noticed. Still no air con been brought in. According to the Cheif Exec this is a freak heat wave..... thanks.

Are you pregnant? Im wondering if there are rules regarding pregnancy or whether doctors can say you have to have fan etc? I seriously wouldnt cope with it!

I work in H&S and this is a regular question.

There is no maximum temperature, only minimum

Close blinds as solar gain can heat an office more efficiently than anything else. You employers should have fitted these to prevent glare on workstations etc.

Request short breaks in cooler areas

Drink plenty of fluids, water is best

Dress appropriatly (within company dres codes)

Occupational Health should be able to support your request for a fan if you have a medical condition which is affected by heat.

Hayfever and asthma can be made worse by fans, so expect opposition or jealousy

We've all invested in those fans that you plug into your computer. Brilliant. You don't have to have an electric socket, so we're getting away with it health and safety wise. For now.

PuppyMonkey....dont let IT hear about it either as they will ban it on the grounds of it doing something dodgy to the PC etc.....

On those grounds we are not allowed keyboard vaccums or iPod chargers etc!

bascialy no free electricity of the company!

Don't worry, Lowfat. IT don't come anywhere near us.... especially when we need our computers fixing.

oh yes...telephone advise is...."Re-boot"

We must work for the same company