TUC calls on employers to keep staff safe in the heatwave

With the UK in the middle of a heatwave, the TUC is calling on employers to make sure their staff are protected from the sun and heat.

And the union body is calling on government to improve protections for workers by bringing in rules on maximum working temperatures.

Health warning

Working in hot weather can lead to dehydration, muscle cramps, rashes, fainting, and – in the most extreme cases – loss of consciousness.

Outdoor workers are three times more likely to develop skin cancer.

The TUC says employers can help their workers by:

• Sun protection: Prolonged sun exposure is dangerous for outdoor workers, so employers should provide sunscreen.
• Allowing flexible working: Giving staff the chance to come in earlier or stay later will let them avoid the stifling and unpleasant conditions of the rush hour commute. Bosses should also consider enabling staff to work from home while it is hot.
• Keeping workplace buildings cool: Workplaces can be kept cooler and more bearable by taking simple steps such as opening windows, using fans, moving staff away from windows or sources of heat.
• Climate-proofing workplaces: Preparing our buildings for increasingly hot weather, by installing ventilation, air-cooling and energy efficiency measures.
• Temporarily relaxing their workplace dress codes: Encouraging staff to work in more casual clothing than normal – leaving the jackets and ties at home – will help them keep cool.
• Keeping staff comfortable: Allowing staff to take frequent breaks and providing a supply of cold drinks will all help keep workers cool.
• Talking and listening to staff and their union: Staff will have their own ideas about how best to cope with the excessive heat.

• Sensible hours and shaded areas for outdoor workers: Outside tasks should be scheduled for early morning and late afternoon, not between 11am-3pm when UV radiation levels and temperatures are highest. Bosses should provide canopies/shades where possible.