Temp of a work place
Author
Discussion

richtvr

Original Poster:

467 posts

255 months

Thursday 17th January 2013
quotequote all
My misses works at a service station and she always comes home freezing which I thought was odd as you'd think these place would be warm for customers.

So I told her to check the temp and its 6c where she works as the heaters don't work and never have! Is this legal ?

I would never expect my staff to work in them temps

Cheers

TurricanII

1,516 posts

227 months

Friday 18th January 2013
quotequote all
Start here: www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/law.htm
End with speaking to ACAS or someone who knows the law

richtvr

Original Poster:

467 posts

255 months

Saturday 19th January 2013
quotequote all
Brilliant thanks a lot

TurricanII

1,516 posts

227 months

Saturday 19th January 2013
quotequote all
Of course I forgot a step on the previous post:

2. Speak to the manager/employer/owner about the heating. Don't mention 'the law', 'regulations' or 'Health and Safety' yet. Let them know it has been off for a long time. Ask them to put it on. Possibly job done!

New POD

3,851 posts

179 months

Saturday 19th January 2013
quotequote all
16 degrees C within an hour of the official start time is the min, unless the work is outside.

also temp is something that should be looked at in risk assessment.

I'd be bringing a fan heater to work, and plugging it in by my till.

richtvr

Original Poster:

467 posts

255 months

Sunday 20th January 2013
quotequote all
Turns out they switch the heating off at night to save on costs. Which is not fair on the night staff. My misses won't complain as she feels they'll fob her off.
Not something you'd expected for the welcome group. What's the best way around this a anonymous letter of complaint ?

New POD

3,851 posts

179 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2013
quotequote all
richtvr said:
Turns out they switch the heating off at night to save on costs. Which is not fair on the night staff. My misses won't complain as she feels they'll fob her off.
Not something you'd expected for the welcome group. What's the best way around this a anonymous letter of complaint ?
••••••••

3 options

a) Put up with it
b) Raise the issue of workplace temperature legality formally via HQ HR dept asking for anonymity. If they have anything about them they will put out a "Corporate Reminder" and say they are going to do random checks. The boss will ignore it, and then get a formal warning from HR which goes on his record. If not they will phone the boss, and tell them to get it sorted now, and then her life will be a misery because she grassed him up.

Hence :

c) BRING in a FAN heater