{"id":865653,"date":"2025-08-16T21:12:59","date_gmt":"2025-08-17T02:12:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/16\/construction-sites-in-focus-as-hse-reviews-heat-stress-laws\/"},"modified":"2025-08-16T21:12:59","modified_gmt":"2025-08-17T02:12:59","slug":"construction-sites-in-focus-as-hse-reviews-heat-stress-laws","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/16\/construction-sites-in-focus-as-hse-reviews-heat-stress-laws\/","title":{"rendered":"Construction sites in focus as HSE reviews heat-stress laws"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is to review regulations on workplace heat, amid calls for legal maximum temperatures.<\/span><\/p>\n

The regulator is drawing up a consultation on issues including heat stress at work.<\/span><\/p>\n

The move follows campaigning from unions on the issue and comes as the Labour government moves forward with measures to increase workers\u2019 rights.<\/span><\/p>\n

A scientist at the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust asked at the<\/span> HSE\u2019s<\/span><\/a> recent AGM whether the watchdog would introduce a legally binding maximum working temperature \u201cto prevent heat-related workplace concerns\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

HSE director of engagement and policy Rick Brunt said potential changes to its workplace code of practice relating to the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 would be considered \u201cshortly\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the things we will be consulting on is different potential temperatures as trigger points for certain action, heat stress and so on,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is part of the government\u2019s manifesto commitments and that\u2019s the umbrella that we\u2019re looking under.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t say, yes, definitely there will be [a maximum temperature]. I can say we\u2019re in the process of reviewing and taking into account what evidence might point us in that direction.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Current regulations mandate that the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable. The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations specify the need for reasonable workplace temperatures at indoor areas of construction sites.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere the site is outdoors, you must provide protection from adverse weather. Site rest facilities must also be maintained at an appropriate temperature,\u201d they add.<\/span><\/p>\n

The HSE\u2019s code of practice currently suggests a minimum indoor workplace temperature of 16\u00b0C or 13\u00b0C \u201cif much of the work involves rigorous physical effort\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unions have long called for stronger regulations on workplace temperatures with<\/span> Unite<\/span><\/a> asking for a maximum of 27\u00b0C for \u201cstrenuous\u201d jobs and 30\u00b0C for \u201csedentary\u201d work.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Trades Union Congress held a week of action last month over heat issues. <\/span>It pointed out that working in hot weather can lead to dehydration, tiredness, muscle cramps, fainting and even loss of consciousness.<\/span><\/p>\n

Those who are working for long periods in high temperatures are at serious risk of sunstroke, heat stress and skin cancer, it added.<\/span><\/p>\n

TUC general secretary\u202fPaul Nowak\u202fsaid: \u201cWith heatwaves becoming more common, we need to adapt.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe need new laws on maximum working temperatures, improvements to workplaces to keep them cool and climate action to reduce global heating.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

During a parliamentary debate in July, Green Party peer Baroness Natalie Bennett put forward an amendment to the Employment Rights Bill asking for consideration of a maximum workplace temperature.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is an obligation on employers to provide a safe workplace, but without that maximum temperature, and with circumstances [high temperatures] arising that neither workers nor employers have encountered before, we really need to set some guardrails for the safety of workers,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bennett withdrew the amendment after being told the HSE was already reviewing the issue.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mayo Wynne Baxter solicitor Ross Spiller said: \u201cGiven the occurrence of more frequent and intense heatwaves during the summer months as a result of climate change, the push for updated rules is not surprising.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEmployees must not be subjected to disciplinary action as a result of raising health and safety concerns or taking action to protect their health and safety.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn specific circumstances, employees do already have the right to leave an unsafe workplace.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe updated regulations or guidance from HSE will provide greater clarity to both employers and employees on when these rights can be relied on.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He added that workers with specific characteristics, such as pregnancy or certain medical conditions, may be more affected by hot weather and that a \u2018one size fits all\u2019 approach might not be appropriate.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Read More<\/a>
\n Ian Weinfass<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is to review regulations on workplace heat, amid calls for legal maximum temperatures. The regulator is drawing up a consultation on issues including heat stress at work. The move follows campaigning from unions on the issue and comes as the Labour government moves forward with measures to increase workers\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":865654,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2808,3099],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-865653","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-construction","8":"category-sites"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/865653","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=865653"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/865653\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/865654"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=865653"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=865653"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=865653"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}