Heatwave should prompt relaxed dress codes and law change say unions

As temperatures soared to 32 degrees celsius today on what is expected to be the hottest day of the year so far, union chiefs have said that workers should be allowed to dress informally to cope.

"We'd like British bosses to think seriously this week about how they can make their workplaces cooler and their staff less overheated," said Brendan Barber, general secretary of the Trades Unions Congress (TUC). "Allowing employees to dress down in the current heatwave will prevent them from collapsing at their desks, and could also save companies money as they are able to turn down the air con a notch."

"Employers have got to remember that it's no fun working in a baking office or factory and they should be doing all they can to take the temperatures down. Clearly vest tops and shorts are not suitable attire for all front line staff, but those not dealing with the public should be able to discard their tights, ties and suits and opt for more summery clothing this week," he said.

Employees can stop work if it gets too cold, but not when it gets too hot. The legal minimum temperature is 16 degrees, or 13 degrees for people doing physically demanding work.

The TUC said that it would like to see a legal maximum introduced. "The TUC would like to see the law changed so there is an absolute indoor maximum of 30 degrees, with employers forced to introduce cooling measures when the temperature hits 24 degrees," said a TUC statement.

Other measures that the TUC suggested were the introduction of flexible working to help staff avoid the rush hour; the provision of fans and cold drinks; and the moving of desks away from windows.

Working temperature is governed by 1992's Workplace Regulations. Guidance from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said that when temperatures rise "uncomfortably high…all reasonable steps should be taken to achieve a reasonably comfortable temperature".
Dr Simon Joyston-Bechal is a health and safety law expert at Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind OUT-LAW.COM. He said that a legal maximum temperature may not be the ideal solution.

"A maximum temperature would be difficult to enforce because there are jobs which need to be done in the heat, such as furnace and kitchen work," he said. "You could try to apply a maximum temperature just to offices, but that might not be fair to people who don't work in an office."

HSE guidance said that where cooling measures have failed, employers should take further action.

"Where, despite the provision of local cooling, workers are exposed to temperatures which do not give reasonable comfort, suitable protective clothing and rest facilities should be provided," said its guidance. "Where practical there should be systems of work (for example, task rotation) to ensure that the length of time for which individual workers are exposed to uncomfortable temperatures is limited."