Methods for Fighting Impact of Cold Weather on Work Highlighted by GMB
The temperature has been falling daily and snowing has continued in many places. Although, there has been thawing in some regions and a few schools have opened again but the forecasts state that these weather conditions will last for sometime.
According to the GMB, the cold weather has prompted employers to find out about the temperature that has to be maintained by them at the workplace. John McClean, the Health and Safety Officer at GMB reported that legally employers are required to provide at least 16 degrees Celsius or 63F temperature inside the workplace to sedentary workers and 13 degrees Celsius (58F) to workers doing physical labour. Heaters must be used if temperature falls below the prescribed levels.
The workers who did street cleaning and refuse collection have been shifted to work along with people doing gritting. Similarly, other workers who are working at places, which have slippery surfaces that do not allow gritting should be shifted to suitable workplaces.
The weather factsheet that has been made by the Workplace Law Network charts the legal obligations of the employers during the cold as well as hot seasons. It is strongly recommended that the employers should do a risk study, similar to the one done in hot weather that considers the impact that cold temperature will have on the workplace.
Employers can adopt many measures for reducing the risks posed by cold weather. They can provide hot drinks and breaks for drinking them along with heated cabins and other similar facilities. Wherever possible, there should be job rotation to reduce exposure and work should be shifted to hotter days. Correct PPE for the cold weather is also important.
Workplace Law Training & Consulting is equipped to provide professionally accredited training in key areas of workplace law and practice. They are accredited by the National Examination Board for Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) and the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) to deliver internationally recognised health and safety courses. In addition to these accredited programmes, they also provide training certified by Workplace Law Group for a wide range of courses.
