Information for members in response to Amber and Red warnings of extreme heat

What should my employer be doing if the Met office issues an Amber or Red warning for extreme heat in the area I live or work?
Health and Safety law requires employers to ensure that so far as reasonably practicable they do all they can to protect the health, safety and welfare of their staff. This includes protecting them from the risks of excessive heat and cold.

All employers are required to undertake risk assessments in relation to both the work being done and the environment in which that work is being carried out. Then put in place measures to reduce the risk of harm to their employees. If something changes, for example a risk of extreme temperatures, they need to review those risk assessments and if necessary, take further steps to reduce possible harm.

As UNISON members work delivering services in both the public and private sector across the whole of the UK, some areas may have different levels of weather warnings in place. Therefore, local authorities may issue guidance relating to their local circumstances and demands on local health services.

Below is some general advice on what we would expect employers to be doing and considering

Do you need to be in the workplace?
Employers should be considering allowing employees to work from home wherever possible. This is because their responsibilities don’t start and stop at their front door. People commuting in Amber and Red warning areas are at significant risk of experiencing travel problem, with delays on roads and road closures, delays and cancellations to rail and air travel, which could cause people to suffer from heat exhaustion.

Where working from home is not possible, Employers should be carrying out a risk assessment which should considered the points below

Review the type of work being carried out
Employers should consider wherever possible avoiding work which requires strenuously activity, and where this is not possible, reducing the period of time it is done for, insuring plenty of breaks and opportunities for to drink plenty of fresh cool water.

Workplace ventilation and thermal comfort
Ensuring good ventilation remains vital to help to reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 the virus which causes Covid 19, with cases number on the increase employers still need to be thinking about protecting workers from this.

Oscillating fans can help with airflow, however where room temperatures are over 30oC, they may not help with cooling to prevent heat-related illness and may in fact worsen dehydration. The use and positioning of fans should also consider the transmission risk mentioned above.

Whilst there is currently no maximum workplace temperature, the law does state that;

“During working hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable”

So employers need to take all reasonable steps to achieve a temperature which is as close as possible to comfortable

UNISON supports the TUC’s call for a specific legal maximum temperature for indoor work of 30°C; or 27°C where the work is strenuous.

However, this proposed maximum would be intended to be the absolute maximum, so regular indoor work at or just below 30°C (or 27°C as applicable) would not be acceptable, and that employers should attempt to reduce temperatures if they went above 24°C or workers felt uncomfortable. The World Health Organisation recommends 24°C as the maximum temperature for working in comfort.

It is important to remember that room temperature alone is not an indicator of thermal comfort as we are all individuals, therefore one size (or temperature) does not fit all. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have summed this up in the following way “Thermal comfort is not measured by room temperature, but by the number of employees complaining of thermal discomfort” 

Personal protective equipment (PPE)
The need for personal protective equipment (PPE) will have followed a risk assessment and identified that all other means of reducing the risks to the individual have been eliminated but a level of risk still remains, so PPE is the last (not first) resort to protecting an individual.

The use of some types of PPE in hot outdoor / indoor environments (such as overalls, mask, respirators, aprons, hoods etc) increases the risk of the body not being able to cool itself and maintaining a healthy temperature (heat stress). This can cause heat exhaustion and if action is not taken lead to heat stroke.

If your work requires the use of PPE, we would expect employers to have review the risk assessment for the activity that requires PPE and consider avoiding this type of work in areas where is not possible to ensure a cool working environment.

Where the work needs to continue, and PPE is required we would be expecting employers to operate in the following ways:

• Reducing the amount of time spent undertaking tasks in PPE by rotating staff out if the work / task needs to continue
• Providing more frequent breaks in between the use of PPE
• Trying to use single use PPE which is changed regularly to prevent sweat saturation and ensuring access to more changes of workwear
• Make staff aware of the signs of heat exhaustion and dehydration
• Operating a buddying system where staff regularly check on one another for signs of heat stress like confusion, changes in completion or looking clammy, increased rates of breathing (whilst at rest or not undertaking vigorous activity)

Outdoor workers
Those working outdoors need extra measures to protect them, both from UV radiation and heat stress. Therefore employers need to review their risk assessment and make employees aware of changes

(In Amber warning areas)

Work activities should be reduced and planned to take place at cooler times of the day (before 11 am and after 3pm), sun cream with a high UV factor should be provided free of charge, increased breaks out of the sun and free access to fresh cool water.

(In Red warning areas)

Only activities which are absolutely critical should be undertaken, [following that advice for Amber areas] but significantly limiting any work during 11am-3pm, employers might consider asking employees to undertake temporary duties out of the sun, provided they have received the appropriate training to be able to do that work safely.

Workers who are pregnant
Employers are already required by law to undertake individual risk assessments once an employee has informed them they are pregnant. We would expect employers to review this risk assessment in light of the Amber and Red warning for extreme heat.

The review should take account of the fact that workers who are pregnant are more at risk of experiencing heat exhaustion and at lower temperatures. Therefore, additional steps should be considered to reduce the risks and could include

• Working from home where possible
• Reducing shift length, start and finish times so you are not travelling in the hottest parts of the day
• Staying well hydrated and having increased rest breaks
• Temporary change of working duties
• If you have any none medically urgent questions about the impact of the heat on your pregnancy you should discuss this with your midwife, contact your GP or call NHS 111

Those with existing health conditions
Where employers are aware someone has an existing health condition, they should discuss with them how the extreme heat might affect either their condition or medication used. We would encourage an individual risk assessment to be carried out , and for employers to consider what additional reasonable adjustment(s) could be provided.

If you feel you are being put at risk it is crucial to get advice and discuss the situation with your UNISON representative. Contact your branch on 0161 291 5212