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Indoor Temperature in the Workplace

Indoor Temperature

Comfort

A reasonable Indoor Temperature during working hours must be maintained in all workplaces inside buildings.

Where people normally work for more than short periods, the temperature should provide reasonable comfort without the need for special clothing. Normally the temperature should be at least 16 degrees Celsius or, if the work involves severe physical effort, at least 13 degrees Celsius.

The temperature of places such as toilets and rest facilities should be reasonable. Changing rooms and shower rooms should not be cold.

Temporary Heating

Where people are to work for more than short periods in normally unoccupied rooms which do not require to be kept at a low temperature, temporary heating should be provided if necessary to avoid discomfort.

Discomfort Through Cold

Where the temperature would be uncomfortably low, such as rooms exposed to the outside in winter or rooms where food or other products have to be kept cold, a person's work in the cold should be limited by measures such as task rotation, keeping chilled areas as small as possible, enclosing or insulating the product, or the like.

Discomfort Through Heat

Where the temperature would be uncomfortably high, all reasonable steps should be taken to reduce it to a comfortable level. This might include insulation of hot plant or pipes, providing air cooling plant or devices, shading windows or re-siting workstations.

Uneven Temperature

In large, open-plan workplaces it may be that a reasonably comfortable temperature throughout cannot be achieved. Here, local heating or cooling should be provided as appropriate.

Fumes From Heaters Or Coolers

A method of heating or cooling must not be used which results in the escape into the workplace of any fume, gas or vapour that could, due to its nature and extent, be injurious or offensive to anyone.

Thermometers

A sufficient number of thermometers must be provided to enable people at work to check the temperature in the workplace. There need not be thermometers in every room, but they should be readily available to people at convenient points if they want to use one to measure the temperature where they are working.

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