UK heatwave: when is it too hot to work? What the law says

Employers are being told they must act to ensure workers are protected during periods of extreme hot weather this summer.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) warning comes as amber heat-health alerts have been issued by the UK Health and Safety Agency and the Met Office for parts of the country this weekend.

The HSE says this alert – and the record high temperatures seen in Great Britain last summer – should prompt employers to take action to protect those working both inside and outside in extreme heat.

There is no legal maximum temperature for workplaces, but the regulator is calling on employers to be responsible.

⚠️The yellow alert issued yesterday by UKHSA and @MetOffice has been escalated to an amber alert in 5 regions:

????West Midlands
????East Midlands
????East of England
????South East
????South West

See our guide to staying safe in hot weather: https://t.co/XnhTgjUIXf

— UK Health Security Agency (@UKHSA) June 8, 2023

The HSE says everyone – whether working indoors or outdoors – is at risk and employers should discuss with workers changes to manage the risk.

The regulator is asking employers to consider simple and cheap measures such as:

• Making sure workplace windows can be opened or closed to prevent hot air from circulating or building up.
• Using blinds or reflective film on workplace windows to shade workers from the sun.
• Placing workstations away from direct sunlight and heat sources.
• Putting insulation around hot pipes and machinery.
• Offering flexible working patterns so workers can work at cooler times of the day. 
• Provide free access to drinking water.
• Relaxing dress codes if possible.
• Providing weather-appropriate personal protective equipment
• Encouraging workers to remove personal protective equipment when resting (ideally in shaded areas) to cool off.
• Sharing information about the symptoms of heat stress and what to do if someone is affected.

John Rowe, HSE’s Head of Operational Strategy, said: “Last summer should have been a wakeup call for all employers. Climate change means we’re likely to get hotter summers and that could have a big impact on the workforce of this country, affecting everything from health of workers to productivity on construction sites. 

“We know all employers are under pressure and we don’t want to add to their burden but it’s vital they think hard now about simple and cheap measures they can put in place to support workers should we see extreme heat again this summer. 

“The extreme heat we experienced in 2022 isn’t going away so sensible, supportive employers will be planning now how they should respond.”