A new campaign is calling for a law to ban people from working when temperatures exceed 25°C in the workplace. The petition on the Parliament website urges the UK Government to create a rule for how hot it should be before people don't have to work.
The UK is baking in record-breaking temperatures which could soar to more than 38°C as extreme heat warnings and health alerts have been issued. According to the Met Office, the sweltering heat could last until at least Friday, sparking weather warnings and concerns for vulnerable people.
Health Risks and Current Legislation
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned people to expect significant impacts across health and social care services along with a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. Despite recurring heatwaves and mounting concerns regarding workplace wellbeing, there is presently no statutory maximum working temperature in Britain.
Under UK health and safety rules, employers must ensure workplace temperatures remain “reasonable” throughout working hours. Nevertheless, the legislation does not establish a specific threshold at which employees can automatically cease their duties and leave.
The Petition's Demands
A new petition on the Parliament website calls on the government to: “Introduce a legally binding maximum working temperature of 25°C for all workplaces, covering both indoor and outdoor jobs. Currently, there is an advisory minimum temperature in statutory guidance but no upper limit. We want the Government to change this by introducing a strict 25°C maximum cap.”
“Currently, there is statutory guidance on a minimum working temperature but there is no legal maximum cap, leaving staff vulnerable to extreme heat. We want the Government to set a strict limit of 25°C for both indoor and outdoor work. When temperatures hit 25°C, employers must legally provide cooling measures or pause work. The law must also enforce lower thresholds for more physical roles. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act, we believe ‘reasonable comfort’ is not clear enough, and enforceable limits are needed to protect everyone.”
If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, the government will make an official response. If it gets to 100,000, it will be considered for a Parliament debate, putting public pressure on for change.
Legal Perspectives
Patrick Macken, Solicitor at Richard Nelson LLP, said: “There is no specific office or work temperature threshold that entitles the workforce to stop working or relocate. The Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations 1992 may be the only statutory instrument that expressly addresses workplace temperature, but it’s arguably underwhelming and ambiguous. The obligation goes no further than maintaining a ‘reasonable’ temperature.”
“Several other instruments come into play, specifically the Employment Rights Act 1996. This provides recourse for employees who are dismissed or subject to a ‘detriment’ because they left, or proposed to leave the workplace, due to serious and imminent danger. While that sounds like a high threshold, the danger doesn’t need to be life-threatening; it includes exposure to harm, injury, or risk. Even the risk of danger is enough to trigger statutory protection.”
Union Reactions
Retail trade union Usdaw has called on employers to mitigate issues with high temperatures to keep workers safe in the current heatwave. Joanne Thomas, Usdaw general secretary, said: “Heat stress is a real health and safety risk that can lead to more accidents and injuries. As the temperature rises, heat exhaustion starts. People begin to suffer loss of concentration, irritability, dizziness, headaches, nausea and fainting. Under current regulations, there is a legal minimum temperature limit for working indoors. However, there is currently no law stating a maximum – only the responsibility to assess the risks and provide temporary, local cooling methods, access to water and rest facilities where necessary.”
The GMB has said that schools must take ‘immediate action’ to protect pupils and staff when temperatures top 30 degrees Celsius. Stacey Booth, GMB National Officer, said: “No pupil or member of staff should be expected to learn or work in unsafe levels of heat. Once temperatures exceed 30°C, schools should act quickly, use the cooler parts of the building, reduce physical demands, increase water breaks and make sensible adjustments to uniform and duties.”
Unite the union has highlighted the ‘intolerable situation’ of bus drivers working in extreme temperatures. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Every year bus drivers are left sweltering during heatwaves, risking their own health and that of their passengers. We know that heatwaves are becoming more frequent but this fact seems to take the bus operators by complete surprise every year. Bus firms must stop putting profits before people and act now. This is a problem that is worsening every year and needs urgent attention to keep people safe.”
