As the heatwave continues across Scotland and the rest of the UK, those who are stuck in work in this weather may be asking their bosses some important questions.
One such question is the legal temperature that allows people to work comfortably and safely, as the UK reaches highs of 32C this week.
Employers have a legal duty to keep their staff safe, comfortable and happy at their place of work, through the likes of support and wellbeing.
However, there is no law for maximum working temperature, or when it's too hot to work, because every workplace is different.
No legal upper limit can be imposed because in many indoor workplaces high temperatures are not seasonal but created by work activity.
Examples include working outside, in bakeries and other hot workplaces.
But by law, employers have a 'duty of care' to make sure working temperatures are reasonable for their staff. This includes at the workplace and working from home.
According to the ACAS website, if extreme temperatures are expected, then employers should:
- make plans for keeping staff comfortable and safe
- carry out health and safety risk assessments
- remove or reduce any risks found
For example, whether it is too hot or too could, then bosses could:
- relax any dress code so staff can wear more suitable clothing, while still following rules on personal protective equipment (PPE)
- allow extra breaks for staff to get hot or cold drinks
- provide extra heating or cooling equipment, such as portable heaters, fans or air conditioning units
The law also states that employers must carry out health and safety assessments for all members of staff, including women of child-bearing age.
If a risk cannot be avoided or removed, the employer must suspend the person on full pay until the risk has ended or been removed.
Although there's no legal maximum or minimum working temperature, health and safety guidance is that a reasonable temperature should usually be at least 16C. If much of the work involves a lot of physical effort, it's 13C.
According to the UK Government website, employers must stick to health and safety at work law, including:
- keeping the temperature at a comfortable level
- providing clean and fresh air
Employees should talk to their employer if the workplace temperature isn’t comfortable.
For more information, visit the Health and Safety Executive website here.
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