Cold in Working Environment

Lux23

Hi, I am doing a Jobbridge with a financial company in an industrial estate, the office is small but generally comfortable however the temperature of the office is about 9oC (at the moment but gets colder in the afternoon) and there is no heating. There is one storage heater on the wall, but it doesn't seem to be working. I said it to the boss a twice in the last few weeks, once in person and I also sent an email but he just says 'yea, yea' I will get to it. I am starting to get headaches and finding it hard to concentrate, my mother said to pack up my backs and go home, but I think it is relatively small issue that should be sorted without histronics.

skallywag

Nine degrees Celcius? That's baltic, nobody can possibly be expected to work in such an office environment?

Deenie123

Fairly certain there are H&S rules about this. Can't look them up on mobile ATM, but they are easily enough found. Had to go looking for them before for similar issue.

Edit: http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Publications_and_Forms/Publications/General_Application_Regulations/gen_apps_workplace.pdf

Regulation 7. Note the language, "an employer shall..."

Basically, if you're mostly sedentary with a little bit of moving about, the lowest the temp should be at your workstation is 16c. If your boss can't maintain that throughout the office, there need to be portable heaters to warm individual areas up. Hope that helps.

tenifan

You don't have to work in 9 degrees. Take in a thermometer and get a few photos showing the temperature (needed to show the dole office in case you pack in the internship)

next, pick up a halogen heater and bring it right up to your legs. if your boss complains tell him where to go

CatFromHue

Don't feel like you have to wear just office attire if it's that cold.

Wear your jacket, scarf, hat, hot water bottle, plenty of hot drinks, the whole lot.

Bandana boy

For standard office work if memory serves me right it is a min of 18c

Boskowski

Are you sure about 9 degrees? It's not even 9 outside.

Penny Tration

Do these temperature regs apply to non office environments?

i work in a shopping centre on the floor. At the moment, the temperature is around 8 degrees, with wind blowing on me constantly.

i tried wearing a hat and scarf, and was told to remove them and that I'm only allowed wear company issued clothing (cotton skirt, tights, t shirt, thin jumper) and I'm standing shivering all day long

Deenie123

Jingle_Balls wrote: »

Do these temperature regs apply to non office environments?

i work in a shopping centre on the floor. At the moment, the temperature is around 8 degrees, with wind blowing on me constantly.

i tried wearing a hat and scarf, and was told to remove them and that I'm only allowed wear company issued clothing (cotton skirt, tights, t shirt, thin jumper) and I'm standing shivering all day long

Kildare Village?

The temperature in rooms in which employees work must be adequate having regard to the:
• Indoor or special work clothing normally worn by the employees
• Physical activity involved in the work
• Other elements of the thermal environment, such as radiant heat,
humidity and air movement
• Need for any special conditions arising from, or required for, the work
being carried out, such as heat, cold, humidity etc.
In cases where it is difficult to maintain an adequate overall temperature, it may be necessary to provide effective local heating, protective clothing or cooling at individual workstations.

They have an obligation, if they can't keep the room adequately warm, to provide you with adequate protective clothing to deal with the low temperature. There are many things I would let go to maintain good working relationships, but being forced to stand in the cold is not one of them. They want you to risk your health so they can make a profit? How much do you earn? Is it worth coming down with a series of colds/flu/pneumonia for? If I was in that situation I'd continue to wrap up (neatly, as work appropriately as possible) so that I was adequately protected against the cold and if they queried it I'd tell them it's not a safe working environment without adequate protection against the cold. Simple as.

Penny Tration

Deenie123 wrote: »

Kildare Village?



They have an obligation, if they can't keep the room adequately warm, to provide you with adequate protective clothing to deal with the low temperature. There are many things I would let go to maintain good working relationships, but being forced to stand in the cold is not one of them. They want you to risk your health so they can make a profit? How much do you earn? Is it worth coming down with a series of colds/flu/pneumonia for? If I was in that situation I'd continue to wrap up (neatly, as work appropriately as possible) so that I was adequately protected against the cold and if they queried it I'd tell them it's not a safe working environment without adequate protection against the cold. Simple as.

i don't work in kildare village.

thanks for your response. My job involves very minimal movement, just standing in one spot all day, and they refuse to provide anything warm.

i don't earn nearly enough to justify being sick. I caught a shocking number of colds last winter, which is why i want to know my rights this year. I'm not risking my health for little more than minimum wage!

the hat and scarf i wore were completely work appropriate. I deliberately bought ones that were plain, un-fussy and matched the uniform colour perfectly, but was still told to remove them immediately and that I'm not allowed anything other than the uniform. Same thing when i bought a coat that perfectly matched my uniform, i was made to take it off.

i appreciate your post. I'm going to raise this with HR today.

Mrs OBumble

Are you actually standing outside? I find it hard to believe it could be that cold indoors.

Can you wear layers of thermals hidden underneath your uniform?

Penny Tration

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Are you actually standing outside? I find it hard to believe it could be that cold indoors.

Can you wear layers of thermals hidden underneath your uniform?

inside, and i have a thermometer so i know the temp is correct. I'm standing with a set of open doors in front, to one side and behind me, which i would imagine accounts for the cold.

i can wear a thermal vest, but not leggings, as my uniform is a skirt and tights.

P_1

Get them to either allow you to wear appropriate clothes for the temperature or provide you with a heater. They're breaking the law as things currently stand

Penny Tration

Emailed hr about it yesterday morning. Someone was sent out, agreed it is much too cold, and they are getting waterproof, fleece lined coats made for us

Lux23

They fixed the heater on Friday, it is now too warm, but hey I won't complain about that.

Stheno

Lux23 wrote: »

They fixed the heater on Friday, it is now too warm, but hey I won't complain about that.

Great you got it resolved