Thicker socks. Thermal underwear. Draught excluders.

Thank you for the replies. Yes, the two replies represent the discussion well - a complete ban or a ban with allowance for some qualified specific individual's needs (and approved equipment). Thank you.

Not so much laughable it's more we're overly worried about the threat of litigation - well that's how it feels to me. I'm not sure how realistic that fear is though. It's a real shame that it seems to get in the way of sensible solutions though.

You can get heated mats/rugs, that may be more practical solutions

'Coal scuttle' Not heard one of them mentioned for ages. Made me laugh Andy

I remember my folks having one.

I remember when people got on with it and I didn't start work until after 74.

We had the same issue in our large open plan offices. The heating system ran around the edges of the room and people in the middle would often complain of being cold while those around the edges would complain of being too hot. My first suggestion was to suggest that those tropical flowers who needed the heat should move to the edges of the room while the polar bears move to the middle. Unfortunately, the various team leaders did not like this as it would involve splitting up their teams so they could not keep a beady eye on them. As an organisation we did not like hot air heaters they not only did those pose a fire risk, they were also not very energy efficient. After years of moaning I concluded there was no solution that would please everyone, but at this time of the year it always came up as an issue. I was still in short trousers in ‘74 but there has been a change in office culture sine the olden days. Firstly, more open plan large offices where it is more difficult to reregulate the temperate (thermal comfort) for everybody. Secondly, people, I am convinced spend more time at the desks and so move around less: everything is done from the computer so less going off to do filing or photocopying or even printing off documents. Finally, people wear and expect to wear fewer clothes. We all dress like we are on holiday in Majorca rather than in the UK in winter. Many people don’t have proper winter coat, and move straight from car to office just in their indoor clothes. Men don’t wear jackets at their desk any more, ladies don’t wear cardies. Ultimately I think this issue is intractable..so sorry can’t say any more.

Hi All, Excellentpost from MarkMan, use of fan heaters is prohibited in my workplace as the fan can seize causing the casing to overheat and catch fire. As stated oil filled rads are a safer alternative.

My father in law's oil filled radiator went on fire a few weeks ago, I think it was an electrical fault. My daughter was recently in hospital and I lent her my lap top so she could play her PC game. The charging cable started sparking and smelling of burning plastic. The cable had been pulled out of its housing and shorted out. Nothing is safe these days.

The biggest problem is that designers & their clients + some H& safety bods are only interested in BREAM and similar as they get 'gongs' for that type of thing and employees are second at best and I find it disturbing that some H&S bods seem to have a poor opinion of the employees around them especially so as it's not good working where it is too cold/hot etc. Yes we have changed working habits since 1000BC but professionals are supposed to manage that change and come up with heating solutions that are suitable for modern society in open plan offices* [which is easy in 2016- but they may cost money and environmental 'ticks in the box' may decrease] My advice is try to get suitable heating etc. to all those that need it and to educate designers, clients + employees to adequately allow for different weather conditions *[O Plan O's are not as business effective, in my studied view, as many claim but they are cheap!]

Ahh, now cheap & cheerful made in China. Presumably CE marked, and compliant with the LVD, so why is this an issue? :) IF CE marked, then the heaters must comply with all relevant EN standards to bear the CE mark, thus they will be just as safe as a heater made anywhere else in the world, including say Germany or the UK. Is there a possibility that they may not be? I don't know, but, if they bear the CE mark then they comply with the minimum standards, or should/ This is a bone of contention I suspect for many British & EU manufacturers, and is part of the reason for the demise of UK & EU manufacturing at the expense of the Far East. We all it seems want to buy cheap, and don't care if the stuff "actually" complies, as long as it bears the mark. SO, I would beg ALL of those who can influence safe buying, that you get competent people to look at the quality and safety of the electrical goods your employers purchase and buy them based on quality & safety as well as price, instead of just buying the cheapest thing that your organisation can find.

Good point made there by Paul, as a long time reader of this forum I know that he knows his stuff when it comes to electrical safety. The way my brain works is if we purchase something that is cheap (even though it may be CE marked) e.g an £8 fan heater, I would expect it to be more likely to eventually fail or develop a fault than one that cost say £40. Cheap parts, cheaply made etc is not something that I would ever personally consider using. Again im not saying all cheap items are dangerous, but it terms of the level of risk I would always stay away. Obviously on the other hand I do appreciate some of the more expensive items are probably identical to the cheap ones apart from a brand name lol

I think they should be becuse they are brilliant and everyone loves a dog and it liven the day up no end. I once worked were they allowed a blind dog in but it kept bumping into the wall.

I think Ian was making reference to a posting a few months back regarding animals at work.