As millions across Britain swelter in the heatwave, Labour leadership hopeful Jeremy Corbyn MP has today (Weds) tabled an Early Day Motion on the House Of Commons Order Paper to protect workers from having to work in uncomfortably hot conditions.

In doing so Jeremy hopes to gain government support for the the TUC and joint-union “Cool It!” campaign for a maximum working temperature of 30 degrees celcius  (or 27 degrees where work involves strenuous activity  to be introduced into law) to  place a legal duty on employers to act to protect their staff from heat stress and thermal discomfort.

“In this weather, high temperatures aren’t just a problem in heavy industry but for millions of workers have been struggling with the heat in offices, schools, shops, call-centres – you name it,” said Jeremy.

“Good employers will have been taking steps to help out their workers in the heatwave.  But putting a maximum temperature into law will give everyone a legal right to basic protections from working in unbearable conditions.”

The motion will be read tomorrow (Thursday).



EDM – Maximum Temperature in the Workplace

That this House commends the Womens Tennis Association for introducing regular heat breaks for competitors at Wimbledon once the temperature exceeds 30 degrees Celsius; is surprised that similar provisions are not also in place for male competitors; regrets that workers in the UK have no guaranteed legal safeguards from working in uncomfortably high temperatures, owing to the lack of a statutory maximum temperature at which employers would have to introduce control measures, such as breaks, access to water or air conditioning; appreciates that excessive heat in the workplace is responsible for heat stress and thermal discomfort, and can impact seriously on health, well-being and productivity; recognises that this is not just the case for highly paid tennis stars, but is a matter of concern for workers in a wide range of workplaces including offices, schools, shops, bakeries, vehicles, trains, call-centres, theatres and construction sites and therefore calls on government to adopt the recommendations of the TUC and joint-union Cool It! campaign to introduce into law a maximum working temperature of 30 degrees Celsius (or 27 degrees C for those doing strenuous work), beyond which employers would have a statutory duty to introduce effective control measures.