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Ben Baldwin, the chair of an Usdaw branch at the supermarket chain Tesco in Norfolk, has launched an e-petition on the No.10 website calling for a change in the law to introduce a workplace temperature ceiling.
His union Usdaw commented: "It might seem odd to some members to run a petition for a legal maximum temperature, especially if you are working in a store where the heating has broken down and everyone is feeling the cold. But high temperatures in workplaces are an increasing problem - particularly in summer months when the weather is warm. Ben works in a bakery and points out that, when the ventilation isn't working, bakers can be expected to carry on working in very high temperatures."
The union says the current law does provide for a minimum reasonable temperature.
In the Approved Code of Practice to the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations, the normal minimum reasonable temperature is 16 Celsius (61 degrees Fahrenheit) or 13 Celsius where the work is physically strenuous. "But the law does not mention a maximum reasonable temperature and the absence of such a standard can make it difficult to negotiate improvements in hot workplaces." the union says, adding: "For some years now it has been Usdaw policy to campaign for a legal maximum temperature. You can show your support by signing up to Ben's e-petition."
You can sign the petition here
Source: Risks
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