It's too cold to work!

Carmen_Queasy

I've already just returned to work after being off with the flu no thanks to the fact the heating was broke and it's still painfully cold:mad: despite the fact it's supposedly been fixed. I work in a shop and the heating is only partly working now... it's toasty and cozy in the managers offices :rolleyes: but on the shopfloor especially on the tills where the air-con is blowing cold air it's unbearable. We're allowed to wear outdoor clothes but it's impossible to use touchscreen tills wearing decent gloves and the fingerless ones we can use are a bit useless at keeping us warm. Apparently somebody already called environmental health while I was off sick and unbeleivably they said it was acceptable conditions:eek:.

So, anyone got any good advice ?? ( and yes, before anyone says it I'm wearing thermals already!;)).

jdturk

get a thermometer and measure the temp, if its over 16 degrees this is deemed acceptable unless its manual labour and it can be 13 degrees celsius

Sagz_2

How about a heated waitcoat?
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?moduleno=47715

ceridwen

Personally I think nothing of embarrassing employers into doing the right thing - so I would be in with a thermometer prominently placed - where the CUSTOMERS could see it clearly:D and wearing exactly the same clothing as I would wear walking down a cold street outside (hat and scarf included).

I see no reason why employers shouldnt abide by the same guidelines as we have in our own homes, ie:
12C or less - danger of hypothermia
15C - the heating needs to be put on
18C - 21C - the correct temperature.

Thats the official advice we are given for our own homes - and we CHOOSE to be there. All the more reason for our workplaces to conform - as we are FORCED to be there (by financial necessity).

I suggest keeping a visible graph on the wall of day-by-day temperatures (do keep a copy in case it mysteriously disappears......)

jdturk

ceridwen wrote: »

Personally I think nothing of embarrassing employers into doing the right thing - so I would be in with a thermometer prominently placed - where the CUSTOMERS could see it clearly:D and wearing exactly the same clothing as I would wear walking down a cold street outside (hat and scarf included).

I see no reason why employers shouldnt abide by the same guidelines as we have in our own homes, ie:
12C or less - danger of hypothermia
15C - the heating needs to be put on
18C - 21C - the correct temperature.

Thats the official advice we are given for our own homes - and we CHOOSE to be there. All the more reason for our workplaces to conform - as we are FORCED to be there (by financial necessity).

I suggest keeping a visible graph on the wall of day-by-day temperatures (do keep a copy in case it mysteriously disappears......)

16 degrees celsius is actually the correct temperature

ckerrd

ceridwen wrote: »

Personally I think nothing of embarrassing employers into doing the right thing - so I would be in with a thermometer prominently placed - where the CUSTOMERS could see it clearly:D and wearing exactly the same clothing as I would wear walking down a cold street outside (hat and scarf included).

I see no reason why employers shouldnt abide by the same guidelines as we have in our own homes, ie:
12C or less - danger of hypothermia
15C - the heating needs to be put on
18C - 21C - the correct temperature.

Thats the official advice we are given for our own homes - and we CHOOSE to be there. All the more reason for our workplaces to conform - as we are FORCED to be there (by financial necessity).

I suggest keeping a visible graph on the wall of day-by-day temperatures (do keep a copy in case it mysteriously disappears......)

Why should businesses be the same as a home?
Two completely different things, for different purposes.

Work place is covered by this
http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/faqs/temperature.htm

The_Mighty_Gusset

I work outside in all weathers, and due to the nature of the job can only wear very thin, non-thermal gloves.
I have to wear a hard hat, and cannot have my ears covered so can't wear a balaclava underneath it.
There is No Such Thing as too cold to work - we've had people out working all night all this week - at temperatures down below -10C

pinkshoes

There's nothing worse for customers than a shop that is too hot... especially in winter when you're dressed in all those winter layers!

Could you not wear lots of thin layers which trap the air and keep you warm? Or jump up and down? Try to organise synchronised jumping in the form of a tribal dance, and perhaps your employee will get the message you're cold!?

ChrisCobra

The_Mighty_Gusset wrote: »

I work outside in all weathers, and due to the nature of the job can only wear very thin, non-thermal gloves.
I have to wear a hard hat, and cannot have my ears covered so can't wear a balaclava underneath it.
There is No Such Thing as too cold to work - we've had people out working all night all this week - at temperatures down below -10C

Same as me but colder. Some people are spoilt !!!!!!s

Carmen_Queasy

ckerrd wrote: »

Why should businesses be the same as a home?
Two completely different things, for different purposes.

Work place is covered by this
http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/faqs/temperature.htm

Thanks for the link, but I reckon surely a shop should be roundabout the same as a home as it isn't manual work behind a till.

The_Mighty_Gusset wrote: »

I work outside in all weathers, and due to the nature of the job can only wear very thin, non-thermal gloves.
I have to wear a hard hat, and cannot have my ears covered so can't wear a balaclava underneath it.
There is No Such Thing as too cold to work - we've had people out working all night all this week - at temperatures down below -10C

Surely you are covered by legal regulations in the link ckerrd posted?

pinkshoes wrote: »

There's nothing worse for customers than a shop that is too hot... especially in winter when you're dressed in all those winter layers!Customers can leave within a short time and remove their coats to walk around the store- we're stuck here all day!

Could you not wear lots of thin layers which trap the air and keep you warm? I do this already as mentioned in my OP Or jump up and down? Try to organise synchronised jumping in the form of a tribal dance, and perhaps your employee will get the message you're cold!?We've all complained already and our extreme discomfort has been disregarded by our employer. Loads of people have phoned in sick.

jdturk

its upto your employee to whether they want to listen to employees but as I have said before as long as they are keeping above the 16 degrees celsius they are not doing anything wrong!