Feeling hot, hot, hot?

As the UK basks in the latest heatwave, employees at UK Plc are increasingly asking at what point it becomes so hot that they have a legal right not to attend work. Many will probably do a quick google search and be disappointed to learn that there is no legal maximum temperature (although, weirdly, there is a minimum temperature).

However, despite there being no legal maximum temperature, employers should remember their general health and safety duties and ensure that they are providing a safe place of work. In most cases, it will be sufficient to apply some common sense: relax strict dress codes, allow regular breaks to cool off, give access to water, provide fans in non-air conditioned workspaces, and so on. However, it’s also worth considering how heat stress may adversely impact those with protected characteristics (for example, workers who are pregnant or who have a particular disability) and undertaking a specific risk assessment or seeking guidance from occupational health.

Oh, and if you sense your team are flagging, why not treat them all to an ice lolly?