Workplace temperature

We often get questions about workplace temperature and what to do when things aren't right. In this article we'll discuss these questions and more to help ensure you can work in comfort, no matter the weather. 

Feeling the heat, or finding it too cold?

There’s no legal maximum temperature set in law, but the guidance from the Workplace Regulations 1992 says that ‘during working hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable’. But what is reasonable?

The Chartered Institute of Building Service Engineers recommends a good working temperature for an office is 20°C. And the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 say that employers should make suitable assessments of the risks to the health and safety of employees and take action where necessary or reasonably practicable.

When it comes to a minimum temperature, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) guidance suggests the workplace should normally be at least 16 degrees Celsius.

What to do if your workplace is too hot

Working in excessive heat is not only uncomfortable but can lead to an increase in accidents and injuries. If your workplace is too hot to work effectively, you could ask management to do the following:

• Provide fans or portable air conditioning units
• Make sure windows can be opened
• Shade employees from sunlight with blinds
• Move workstations away from direct sunlight or other objects that generate heat
• Relax the dress code
• Allow breaks so employees can get cold drinks
• Provide cold water dispensers
• Introduce temporary flexible working patterns, job rotation, workstation rotation etc
• If your management don’t listen or fail to take action, contact you local Accord officer for advice. You can also chat to us online or call and speak to our duty officer on 0118 934 1808.

The TUC are campaigning for a maximum working temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. We agree!

What to do if your workplace is too cold

If your workplace is too cold to work effectively, you could ask management to do the following:

• Provide portable heaters
• Relocate you to another suitable desk/area if there is a fault where you normally sit
• Provide you with hot drinks to help keep you warm, and allow you breaks to get warm
• If the temperature can't be increased, consider closing the workplace - especially if the fault impacts all areas of your workplace
• Ensure you can keep warm with extra layers of clothing
• If your management don’t listen or fail to take action, contact you local Accord officer for advice. You can also chat to us online or call and speak to our duty officer on 0118 934 1808.