Rules and your rights on whether it is too hot to work during Ireland's heatwave

Irish Daily Mirror

3 days ago

Temperatures have soared in Ireland in recent days to above 30C at times, the hottest weather experienced in the country so far this year.
And while conditions look set to change on Sunday and into next week, it's worth knowing the rules around working in extreme temperatures (at least by Irish standards) should we get similar weather in the near future in what has been a decent summer to date.
The rules can differ based on whether you're working in an office or working from home. For those working in an office, there is no maximum temperature in a workplace but there is a minimum.
The Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 states that workplaces must be at least 17.5C. That changes to 16C if rigorous physical work is undertaken.
Despite not having a maximum temperature, the act states that employers must ensure the safety of staff.
The act says employers must "take reasonable care to protect his or her safety, health and welfare and the safety, health and welfare of any other person who may be affected by the employee's acts or omissions at work".
The Irish Business and Employers' Confederation say that once employers make an effort to bring the heat down, you won't get a day off.
It states: "Where an employer is obviously sympathetic and tries to alleviate the worst effects of hot weather most employees should bear with temporary discomfort and continue working normally.
'Unless conditions are extreme, measures such as those outlined above should prevent any employees justifiably claiming that the company is in breach of its duty under the 2005 Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act.
'Any refusal by the employees to work would then place them in breach of their contracts of employment, which could lead to loss of pay/disciplinary action.'
Employers are also expected to keep the temperatures down inside if they start shooting up. They also can relax dress codes and offer water breaks to ensure the safety of workers.
However, things also get a little muddied for the thousands of workers told to do their jobs from home, where most don't have air conditioning.
Mike Hibbs, employment partner at law firm Shakespeare Martineau, previously told Mirror Money: 'The fact that many employees are still working from home does not mean that employers can suddenly forget their health and safety responsibilities.
"All the usual rules apply, including the need to risk assess homes as suitable working environments. In the workplace, employers usually rely on air conditioning and ventilation to regulate temperatures. However, at home, many employees may not have this option and their only means of keeping cool will be to open windows."
Open windows can create more problems than it solves depending on your work.
Mr Hibbs said: "The potential for disturbance by noisy neighbours and street noise can make this impractical, especially if their work involves making telephone or video calls."
He concluded that if you can't get somewhere cool to work from then your boss may not be able to keep you there.
The HSE says that heat stress, heat exhaustion and heatstroke are potentially serious health risks for people during a heatwave.
It has issued the following public health advice for hot weather in Ireland.
Keep your indoor environment cool:
The person you are caring for may not have a sense of how much they're drinking.
To help them:
Contact your GP or the Emergency Department if you are unwell and especially if you
These can be signs of serious dehydration that need urgent treatment.
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