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It's so cold, can we go home?

What are your rights when the office temperature drops to freezing?

It may look like a Christmas card outside, a great day for perhaps a meal in front of an open fire, but for you it’s a workday and you face a day in a freezing cold office, shivering in your coat and gloves, Charles Dickens referred to these winter working conditions in a Christmas Carol, he didn’t send his workers home, but what is the legal position for you?

Thoughts turn to a cosy day at home, or an unexpected shopping day, we have all considered it from time to time. I remember the great week at school when the boiler broke down, was it fate, or some student’s intervention, we will never know, but that week was fantastic!

With temperatures set to drop below 10 degrees, it’s going to be a cold winter. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but in law there are no upper or lower working temperatures that will close down your office, however your employer does have an obligation to maintain a comfortable working temperature, the workplace regulations of 1992 state that the temperature where you work must be reasonable and suggests a minimum of 13 degrees if the work is physical or 16 degrees if not – that in my book is still very cold!

The focus is on comfort and it’s up to the boss to make sure you are, which can be difficult as one person may prefer a T-shirt and shorts in the office and another 5 layers of clothing.
Food for thought for all employers reading this, over half of all employees said they are less productive in the cold. Back to Dickens, it’s not unreasonable to ask for some more coal on the fire (or to turn up the underfloor heating), perhaps ask for secondary heaters, and remind your boss that a happy worker is a productive one.

It`s so cold, can we go home?
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