Managing Temperature in the Workplace

About this course.

Temperature is one of the most common causes of discomfort and complaint in workplaces of every kind, and in more extreme conditions it can be a genuine threat to health and even life. A stuffy, overheated office reduces concentration and productivity; a freezing loading bay or cold store can leave workers numb, clumsy and at risk of injury; a hot kitchen, foundry or roof in summer can push the body towards heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Whatever the setting, employers have a clear legal and moral responsibility to manage the thermal environment so that people can work safely and in reasonable comfort.

You will learn what the law requires, the significance of the 16°C and 13°C guidance figures, why there is no legal maximum temperature, the six factors that determine thermal comfort, how to recognise heat exhaustion and heat stroke, who is most at risk, cold stress and hypothermia, and the practical control measures — from ventilation and rest breaks to cold-weather PPE — that keep workers safe at both extremes.