Is HR handling the office heat?

Britain is finally in the middle of a heatwave, with temperatures this June expected to soar to 33C.

Whilst no-one’s complaining about waking up to blue skies more likely to be experienced in the Mediterranean, work isn’t often the most accommodating environment. In fact, Public Health England has issued a health warning to look out for instances of heat exhaustion, heatstroke, dehydration and overheating.

To help workers cope with the incessant heat, the TUC has urged firms to temporarily relax their dress codes and leave work all together if it gets too hot. The union has also suggested that any outside work is carried out earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid the searing heat of the mid-day sun.

Current UK workplace regulations state that employers must act when the temperature dips below 16C, however there is no maximum temperature. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have said that "an acceptable zone of thermal comfort for most people in the UK lies roughly between 13°C (56°F) and 30°C (86°F)."