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H Maryam  
#1 Posted : 01 October 2019 09:43:36(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
H Maryam

Hi all,

i am looking for some advice/thoughts. We are an engineering company with a workshop that seems to have no insulation what so ever. its a rented building and a thermometer placed inside has almost the same temperature as outside. no central heating has been provided in the workshop by the landlord and the management got a quote for one to be put in, it was over 10k, running costs are on. today temperature is at 12.5 degrees. portable halogen heaters have been provided but they only heat the area around them and also pose a fire hazard. the office block kitchen abd toilers are all heated and provide releif if needed. ive had a look at the workplace health safety and welfare regs 1992 and there is no specific enforcement of providing any special measures below 13 degrees. i want to understand what the obligations are for the employer in this case, as temperatures are going to fall further. thermal coveralls have been provided to employees but they are heavy and cumbersome to work in. the cost of installing the heating unit is prohibitive. what can i do here to convince management to fork out the sum? im concerned about the welfare of the workers.

CptBeaky  
#2 Posted : 01 October 2019 10:10:46(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
CptBeaky

The HSE recommends : 

When people are too cold

You can help ensure thermal comfort when working in the cold by:

  • providing adequate workplace heating, eg portable heaters
  • reducing cold exposure by designing processes that minimise exposure to cold areas and cold products where possible
  • reducing draughts
  • providing insulating floor coverings or special footwear when employees have to stand for long periods on cold floors
  • providing appropriate protective clothing for cold environments
  • introducing formal systems of work to limit exposure, eg flexible working patterns, job rotation
  • providing sufficient breaks to enable employees to get hot drinks or to warm up in heated area

Basically, if you can't agree to get a heating system in there, it looks like you will have to rely on limiting exposure time.  You will be needing to look at whether it is feasible to move some of the work elsewhere. More breaks away from cold areas, with access to hot drinks during those breaks. I would expect that you will still need to supply thermal clothing. If you can do a cost analysis of lost time, materials required etc it may sway them.

On a side note, heating will be pretty much useless without proper insulation.

thanks 1 user thanked CptBeaky for this useful post.
H Maryam on 01/10/2019(UTC)
chris42  
#3 Posted : 01 October 2019 11:28:18(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
chris42

I have previously worked in places where it was not realistic to heat, but we used localised Infrared heaters that heat people and object not the air (not directly, the air is warmed by heat from the people and objects) may be worth considering. There is also some HSE links and checklist which I have found useful in the past.

 

http://www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/thermal/index.htm

 and

http://www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/thermal/measuring.htm

the second link has another link to a checklist

Chris

thanks 1 user thanked chris42 for this useful post.
H Maryam on 09/10/2019(UTC)
Natasha.Graham  
#4 Posted : 03 October 2019 09:03:27(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Natasha.Graham

My dad is a roofer living and working in Calgary so you can imagine some of the temperatures they work in there.  The guys on the roof are able to purchase (and claim the cost of) a heated thermal jacket or fleece.  The fleeces are lightweight and the batteries are rechargeable.  Over here professional ones can cost in excess of £100.

I don't know how many people work in your facility but the initial outlay may be justified if you're not going to be able to install heating or design the work to limit exposure?

thanks 2 users thanked Natasha.Graham for this useful post.
CptBeaky on 03/10/2019(UTC), H Maryam on 09/10/2019(UTC)
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