Heat in the Workplace: Can Employees Get Relief from the Heat?

Especially the current week makes employees sweat in the true sense of the word. Not only is it hot outside, but it can get quite hot in the office too. Because of the Duty of care Employers must ensure that the Pleasantly air-conditioned working environments I am.

What can the heat do to employees?

Heat can negative health consequences and affect performance. An increase in temperature can, for example Circulation problemsheat stroke, venous congestion and heavy legs.
Due to high temperatures the ability to concentrate decreases through which common mistake or it takes more time than usual for a task.

Is heating free for employees?

Employees do not have the right to avoid heating, but the technical regulations for workplaces list guidelines regarding the ambient temperature in the workplace.
This is the employer’s duty of care. You are responsible environmental temperatures beneficial for health take care. This means the temperature in the rooms +26°C do not exceed May.

What happens if the room temperature exceeds 26 degrees?

If the temperature in the rooms +26°C exceeds, employers should take protective measures. At the Surplus of +30°C they are obliged to do so.

The following measures are suitable:

• Effective control of sun protection (e.g. keeping shutters closed after working hours)
• Effective control of the ventilation system
• Early morning ventilation
• Using flexitime legislation to shift working hours
• Reduction of internal thermal loads (e.g. use electrical devices only when necessary)
• Loosening of clothing regulations
• Provision of drinks (e.g. drinking water)

As soon as the Temperatures + 35 °C achieve, the job is no longer considered suitable. The work cannot therefore be carried out easily. This means that the employer must provide technical measures such as water curtains, air showers or organizational measures such as heat protective clothing. If these facilities are not available, employees should be sent home.

As soon as employees notice that the temperature makes them dizzy or that there are signs of overheating, they should go home or consult a doctor in agreement with their employer.
Exceptions are also made for pregnant women, those who are breastfeeding and employees with health problems. However, for this purpose it is necessary to have a medical certificate.

You can find more detailed information about room temperature here.

Regulations also in the home office?

The employer must ensure that the home workstation meets the same legal requirements as the company workstation. These include, for example: B. ergonomic office chairs or the necessary technical equipment, but the employer is not obliged to take measures in case of high temperatures.

What can employees do to make hot home office temperatures more bearable?

The following image shows some tips that can be put into practice to keep a cool head despite the high temperatures. This means that you can cope well with everyday working life and work productively.
In some cases, employees wonder whether it is possible to work in their own pool or in an outdoor pool. In the home office everything is allowed, but safety at work must be taken into account. Entering water with your laptop can be dangerous and cause damage to your device and should therefore be avoided. The outdoor swimming pool is also not recommended as your work laptop could be stolen there.

Adjustment of shift planning due to the heat

Modern workforce management software for personnel deployment planning is a good option for implementing this measure. So it can e.g. B. it is possible to create a specific shift model for hot days. Another measure is to move some activities to air-conditioned areas or cooler times of the day.

Flexitime rules for shifting working hours as a protective measure

A protective measure in case of high temperatures is, among other things, the use of flexitime rules to shift working hours. Time recording software makes sense for this. Employee times are recorded and you don’t lose the overview of which employees worked and when. Time tracking software is especially beneficial when working from home. In hot weather, it is often a pleasant option for employees to organize their working hours flexibly. Some employees, for example, prefer to work early in the morning and/or late in the evening in order to make the most of the more pleasant temperatures at this time. Recording working hours is particularly important in this case to have an overview of the hours worked and those still to be worked.

Want to learn more about time tracking? Our experts will give you 30 minutes to discuss time tracking options and your time management needs. Book an appointment for a live demo here.