That this House is concerned at the increasing frequency and intensity of heatwaves being experienced in the UK, as a result of man-made climate change; notes that surveys of workplace health and safety representatives show that high temperatures are one of their top concerns; regrets that whereas the law specifies a minimum working temperature, no corresponding maximum figure exists in statute; further regrets that the consequences of this range from dizziness, tiredness, asthma, throat infections and, in extreme cases, heat stroke and death; believes that in the absence of specific legal protection, current recommendations for employers to maintain a reasonable temperature within the workplace are impossible to enforce unless a worker is seriously injured or killed from heat stress; further believes that law should spell out the responsibilities which employers owe to their workers experiencing high temperatures in their place of employment; commends the tireless work of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union on this issue, having launched the Cool It! campaign in 2011; and calls on the Government to back the TUC's call for a maximum working temperature of 30 degrees Celsius, or 27 degrees Celsius for those doing strenuous work, beyond which employers would have a statutory duty to introduce effective control measures, such as installing ventilation or moving staff away from windows and sources of heat.
Signatories (24)
- Rebecca Long Bailey Sponsor
- John McDonnell
- Ian Lavery
- Jeremy Corbyn
- Mary Kelly Foy
- Ian Byrne
- Jon Trickett
- Kate Osborne
- Bell Ribeiro-Addy
- Nadia Whittome
- Grahame Morris
- Steve Witherden
- Richard Burgon
- Andy McDonald
- Brian Leishman
- Jim Shannon
- Neil Duncan-Jordan
- Apsana Begum
- Siân Berry
- Dr Ellie Chowns
- Hannah Spencer
- Adrian Ramsay
- Cat Eccles
- Ayoub Khan