Temperature at work
As there is a wide variety of indoor workplaces all with differing circumstances and factors there are no maximum or minimum temperatures set by law.
However, the law does require the temperature to be reasonable and employers must take steps to achieve thermal comfort for their employees. There are health effects and risks of injury if people are subjected to thermal stress – hot or cold.
The Law
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
What do I need to do?
- carry out a risk assessment to identify where and when employees might be subject to thermal stress.
- put controls in place to minimise these risks. This may be providing more heating, blinds or shades at windows to prevent solar gain, allowing rest breaks in a cooler or warmer area depending on the temperature, providing warm clothing or air conditioning (this list is not exhaustive).
- ensure your controls continue to achieve comfort for your employees by monitoring the effect on staff.
Further guidance
For more on achieving thermal comfort in the workplace visit the HSE website