SV650.org - SV650 & Gladius 650 Forum - Maximum Working Temperature

An email I received from the Health and Safety Executive asking the exact same question about 10 days ago.

Dear Mr Harrison

Thank you for your email firstly there is no upper limit for temperature in any workplace in the UK. However, HSE have web based guidance which you may find useful to refer to and this is located at:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/thermal/

The relevant legislation for thermal comfort issues is contained within The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and Regulation 7 deals specifically with the temperature in indoor workplaces it states
that:

'During working hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable.'

However, the application of the regulation depends on the nature of the workplace, such as a bakery, a cold store, an office, a warehouse.

The associated ACOP ( Workplace health, safety and welfare. Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. Approved Code of Practice ) goes on to explain:

'The temperature in workrooms should provide reasonable comfort without the need for special clothing. Where such a temperature is impractical because of hot or cold processes, all reasonable steps should be taken to achieve a temperature which is as close as possible to comfortable. 'Workroom' means a room where people normally work for more than short periods.

The temperature in workrooms should normally be at least 16 degrees Celsius unless much of the work involves severe physical effort in which case the temperature should be at least 13 degrees Celsius. These temperatures may not, however, ensure reasonable comfort, depending on other factors such as air movement and relative humidity.'

Where the temperature in a workroom would otherwise be uncomfortably high, for example because of hot processes or the design of the building, all reasonable steps should be taken to achieve a reasonably comfortable temperature, for example by:
insulating hot plants or pipes;
providing air-cooling plant;
shading windows;
siting workstations away from places subject to radiant heat.

Where a reasonably comfortable temperature cannot be achieved throughout a workroom, local cooling should be provided. In extremely hot weather fans and increased ventilation may be used instead of local cooling.

Where, despite the provision of local cooling, workers are exposed to temperatures which do not give reasonable comfort, suitable protective clothing and rest facilities should be provided. Where practical there should be systems of work (for example, task rotation) to ensure that the length of time for which individual workers are exposed to uncomfortable temperatures is limited.

You could also ask your employer if they have carried out a thermal risk assessment. Also it may be useful to bring to there attention the Guidance on the website and HSE would recommend that in the absence of specific guidance the minimal acceptable evidence for compliance with the law on thermal issues for employers would be working to British standards as identified on the website. The pertinent standards are:

BS EN ISO 7730: 1995 Moderate thermal environments. Determination of the PMV and PPD indices and specification of the thermal conditions for thermal comfort British Standards Institution

This standard covers local thermal discomfort (where parts of the body are too warm or too cold); draughts (unwanted local cooling of the body caused by air movement); asymmetric thermal radiation (where thermal radiation coming from one or more directions causes discomfort); vertical air temperature differences (where the difference in vertical air temperature causes thermal discomfort); and contact with hot and cold surfaces causing local discomfort.

BS EN ISO 10551 Ergonomics of the thermal environment - assessment of the influence of the thermal environment using subjective judgment scales

I trust this helps you in addressing your concerns if not please contact me again to discuss further.