measures to keep workers safe and work with trade union health and safety reps to provide substantial measures to mitigate the risks. No-one should have to work in extreme and dangerous conditions."
Usdaw has long campaigned for a legal maximum workplace temperature of 30°C, or 27°C for workers undertaking physically demanding tasks. The union also argues that employers should be required to implement cooling measures once workplace temperatures reach 24°C.
The call comes amid growing concern about the impact of climate change on working conditions across the UK. Recent years have seen record-breaking summer temperatures, prompting renewed debate about whether existing workplace regulations remain fit for purpose.
Thomas said the Climate Change Committee's recommendations represented an important step forward and urged ministers to consider legislative change.
"Workers deserve a legal right to be protected from the heat and as the world hurtles towards 1.5 degrees of warming, this issue is only going to become more of an urgent priority."
The debate over workplace temperatures has gained increasing attention in recent years, particularly in sectors such as retail, warehousing, logistics and manufacturing, where employees may have limited control over their working environment.
As Britain experiences another period of extreme heat, unions, employers and policymakers are likely to face growing pressure to consider whether additional protections are needed to safeguard workers from the health risks associated with rising temperatures.
temperatures rise and calls for a maximum workplace temperature
Heatwave: Usdaw urges employers to keep workers safe as temperatures rise and calls for a maximum workplace temperature Retail trade union Usdaw ...
Heatwave: Usdaw urges employers to keep workers safe as temperatures rise and calls for a maximum workplace temperature
Retail trade union Usdaw has called on employers to mitigate issues with high temperatures, to keep workers safe in the current heatwave. The Met Office has announced amber and red weather warnings for extreme heat, from today through to Thursday, in Southern England, the Midlands, the south of the North West and Yorkshire.
Usdaw is also calling for a maximum workplace temperature, which was recently recommended by the advisory Climate Change Committee. They described it as “essential” and called for a raft of measures to protect Britons against worsening heat, floods and droughts, including maximum temperature regulations to protect workers and air conditioning in hospitals, care homes, schools and homes of vulnerable people.
Joanne Thomas – Usdaw general secretary says: “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.
“Despite the absence of legislation, we are calling on employers to take measures to keep workers safe and work with trade union health and safety reps to provide substantial measures to mitigate the risks. No-one should have to work in extreme and dangerous conditions.
“Usdaw has long campaigned for the introduction of a legal maximum working temperature of 30°C, or 27°C for those doing strenuous work, with employers obliged to adopt cooling measures when the workplace temperature hits 24°C. So, we welcomed the recommendation of the Climate Change Committee and look to the Government to act. Workers deserve a legal right to be protected from the heat and as the world hurtles towards 1.5 degrees of warming, this issue is only going to become more of an urgent priority.”
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is one of the fastest growing unions in the TUC and the UK's fifth biggest with around 370,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also represents many workers in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades www.usdaw.org.uk
Met Office weather warnings:
Keep Your Cool Tackling Heat Stress at Work (Leaflet 291):
For further information please contact Usdaw’s Media Office on: 0161 249 2469 or by e-mail to [email protected]
For Usdaw press releases visit: www.usdaw.org.uk/news
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The views expressed in this media release are solely those of the sender and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cision.
