Heaters being banned at work

HappyMJ

picklechu wrote: »

Where is the thermostat? Is it where you control the temperature?

well hands and feet but theres not many things i can use while being able to type and do mouse work as it's the tips of my fingers that need warming.

Thermostat is where the temperature for the building is monitored. It's usually in the centre of the room at about chest height. If it's reading 21 degrees it'll shut off the central heating for everyone. A business should have an industrial looking one rather than the ones we have in our homes.

Fingerless gloves? Microwaveable hand warmers? USB hand warmers?

Evilm

You probably do need to do the meetings as you've notified them of a health condition that affects your work - they do need to make sure they are dealing with it correctly which might not just be "Picklechu can have their heater back".

But yes, they are required to reasonably accommodate for your condition.

Daedalus

It is not unreasonable to have a meeting to work out your requirements and find the best solution for the company that also meets your requirements.

Tiddlywinks

picklechu wrote: »

i have told them of my condition but they are now asking me lots of questions and saying i need to have meetings with them because i want to use a heater.

have i got a right to use a heater with my condition so i can do my job? the only other option i can think is to leave or they will get rid of me because i will have to do less work

Why not go to a meeting to discuss your requirements?

It's not at all unreasonable for a manager to want to discuss your needs before considering reasonable adjustments.

As someone else has said, your heater may be affecting the temperature sensor for the environmental controls... or a colleague may have the opposite problem (hot flushes or whatever) and not want to work in a warmer office.

Your requirements should be considered (possibly with occupational health input) along with those of others who may also have recognised conditions and then a decision will be made as to whether it is reasonable to allow you to have your own heater. They are not obliged to make adjustments - and those adjustments must be reasonable taking into account the needs of the business, the costs, impact on others etc.

Go to the meeting, explain your condition, consent to Occ Health referral and then have a discussion. It may be that there are other options (moving to a different part of the office for example) - you have to give the company a chance to consider the matter and not view their enquiries and requests for meetings as suspicious... they are probably just trying to understand / help.

ohreally

What temp do you require to feel comfortable?

dickydonkin

chrisv24 wrote: »

yep you have a right to do use your heater. If the condition gets worse because you couldn't use the heater you could make an injury claim against them.

So yes, you have a right to use that heater! I run an injury claims site so I know what Im talking about.

No she doesn't.

You 'run an injury claims site' so I take it you are not a legal expert and like most people who are associated with these, they know very little about employment or Health & Safety Law.

The reality is (as !!!!!! correctly alluded to earlier) you just cannot bring any electrical item in from home to use in the workplace.

If you knew your stuff - you would (or should) know that.

I suspect you would also act on behalf of anyone who was electrocuted or burnt caused by an employer allowing faulty heaters into the workplace.

Tiddlywinks has got the right approach.

one-non-blonde

We went through this last year at my work where all personal heaters were removed. They'll come over and measure the office temperature if you say you're cold but as long as it's between 19 and 21 they won't do anything. However, they do wave their football rattle type thermometer above their heads which is a bit daft as it's much warmer at that height than at floor level, lol. It's not just temperature that affects how cold a room feels - there are a lot of other factors such as air movements and humidity. There's information from the Health and Safety Executive here.

I too have Raynaud's so can't allow my hands to get cold or else they'll be numb for hours. However, I keep fingerless gloves in my drawer (v cheap in Primark), keep a cardigan on my chair and put a hot water bottle on my lap. The hot water bottle makes a HUGE difference.

GMbabies

!!!!!! wrote: »

Have you had an assessment in work with recommendations for changes that are needed.

ATOS is coming to your workplace soon anyway.
YEP, it's not just benefit claimers, if you in work, you will be scruitinized in ATOS style too.

Basically it gives employer the chance to over-ride GP’s decisions.

johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/lord-fraud-announces-atos-for-everyone/

Use a heated mouse to keep your hands warmer. It's about £11 on ebay.

jadziad

Use a halogen desk lamp close to & pointed almost directly on the hand you use a mouse with. They output out a lot of heat, but they are officially desk lamps rather than heaters

I used to do this in a very cold room, and my hand was always toasty warm. I think I used a fingerless glove on the other [keyboard] hand. Prepare for some odd looks though - "why are you lighting up your hand??!?" etc.

miduck

GMbabies wrote: »

ATOS is coming to your workplace soon anyway.
YEP, it's not just benefit claimers, if you in work, you will be scruitinized in ATOS style too.

Basically it gives employer the chance to over-ride GP’s decisions.

johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/lord-fraud-announces-atos-for-everyone/

Use a heated mouse to keep your hands warmer. It's about £11 on ebay.

ATOS has provided OH services for many years, in the main with no problem at all. Their OH services are entirely separate from those that do the DWP assessments, almost like comparing Virgin Trains to Virgin Media.