How hot is too hot?

[Trixie101]

I am currently sat in the office at work it's a shop with only one door and no other form of ventilation in here, it has just reached 33 degrees in here and I am starting to feel awful!! I'm nearly 21 weeks pregnant and am finding it really hard to concentrate in here with the heat and the humidity there is a fan in here but that does bugger all!

My question is, is there a legal max temp that a work place has to get to before you get sent home? Because I honestly don't know how I'm going to manage staying in here today!

"The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 says that your employer must maintain a reasonable temperature where you work, but it does not specify a maximum temperature. There is a minimum temperature of 16°C, or 13°C if your work involves considerable physical activity."

Which is stupid. It's easier to warm up than it is to cool down from sickening, suffocating heat!

Unless the above has changed recently... Sorry OP

Is it busy, can you go and sit in a cooler area? Or explain to your boss and say you are really struggling, it can't be good for you or the baby, and it would be good if they could make a small investment into a portable Aircon unit or something?

You need to approach your employer or HR and say that these aren't comfortable working conditions for you and see what they can do to accommodate. Hun I would be f*ing dying in 33 indoor heat x

I was once told 30° was the max allowed and that there was no minimum I haven't looked it up though. Regardless of that if you're pregnant and you workplace is too hot your employer will need to do another risk assessment and either make it cooler for you, finding somewhere else you can work or possibly look at signing you off on full pay.

As a teacher I sought Union advice who said that even though there’s no upper legal limit, reasonable temperature is up to 26 degrees Celsius. My classroom was 38 at it hottest. My school have therefore re roomed me to air conditioned room.

There is no legal maximum annoyingly but the heat you are working in is unacceptable. I made a fuss when my department office reached 26 degrees (I bought a room thermometer from Amazon to check) and Maintainance delivered a fan to my desk. Is there a HR department you can speak to or is it a little independent shop? Either way, kick up a fuss and refer to your risk assessment- overheating is a risk and to be honest I think that's an unacceptable working condition even if you weren't pregnant! Don't hesitate from fighting it- you should not have to deal with that sort of temperature and you are completely in the right to challenge it.