Rank: Forum user 
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I have a client who has removed the heating in his warehouse, I think because the loading bay doors where open a lot. He has provided all warehouse operatives with cold weather clothing - gloves, thermals, thermal hats etc; In winter and the loading bay doors are open, it is as cold as it is outside; the guys complain a bit that they are cold and are allowed extra breaks, and get on with the job; I have advised the client that the temperature should be at least 16 degC, as the work does not require rigorous effort; he says the lads are ok with it, so why put heating in.
Am I right in saying this is a breach of The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations which states the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable. The HSE suggest that 16 deg C is reasonable.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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OK, Now this would be a bit out of order had it been inside an office and he removed all heating for Thermal clothing, then yes that would probably be a breach of the regulations however, The Clue is Warehouse. Since the doors are opened. in the loading bay it wouldn't be cost effective to heat the warehouse and then let all the heat escape every time the door is opened.
There are several ways which one can overcome this by the use of plastic strips on the doorways to building a Separate Sealed Area just inside the loading bay doors big enough for the fork truck and a further set of plastic strips, so at any point, access to the outside is sealed by these strip.
You could even Seal off a large proportion of the Warehouse and create a loading bay area that is free from heat but the majority of the warehouse is heated, again any access from warm to cold areas will be separated with Plastic Strips http://www.parrs.co.uk/t...fto4K82cwCFa0W0wod2Z8AmA
It wouldn't cost that much to complete and at least they would have a happy workforce. However working in a cold warehouse with thermal clothing is within the Law. Look at Fruit and veg wholesalers.
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Rank: Super forum user
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My understanding of this is that there’s no law for minimum or maximum working temperatures, eg when it’s too cold or too hot to work.
but there is guidance suggests a minimum of 16ºC or 13ºC if employees are doing physical work.
I have worked in a warehouse for the past 14years, in the winter months we all got supplied hates, gloves, bigger coats and even hot drinks, it just was not practicable to heat the warehouse as the doors are open 12 hours a day, having heating on would just be wasting money.
The way I see it is that a warehouse is just a yard but with a roof to keep the goods dry, builders and road workers etc have it worse
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Rank: Forum user
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The joys of working in a Warehouse! Be summer soon and everyone will be complaining its too hot, can we wear shorts and leave the bay doors open!
The only other thing worth looking at (although there is a cost) is rubber canopies or buffers which go all the way round the door for the bay doors (if not already in place). They keep the wind and weather out and do make a difference.
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Rank: Forum user
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It's not a breach. What about employees working in chilled food distribution they work constantly in temperatures of - 5 degrees cent. Employees working in cold stores - 25 degrees
As George stated there is no min or max temperature you just have to make sure that a good assessment has been done and that you have controls in place for the risks.
Sounds like the employer has done that.
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Rank: Forum user
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Agree with Ellis. The guidance on temperatures is just that, guidance. Unless you can show that harm is or is likely to be done by the current arrangements then there appears little need to change anything the employer has done. Especially as it appears that the workforce are largely satisfied with the clothing and extra breaks.
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Rank: Super forum user
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You need to refer to:-
Approved Code of Practice and guidance-L 24. The temperature of 16 % 13 degrees is ACoP--not guidance and the two have a subtle difference!
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l24.pdf
More relevant is the Warehousing and storage A guide to health and safety--HSG 76
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg76.pdf
You cannot treat your scenario the same as lower temperature-controlled storage.
There tend to be reasonable means of preventing heat loss when doors have to be kept open due to movement of lift trucks etc--plastic see through curtains, air curtains etc.
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Rank: Forum user
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There's very old case law on this, going back to the factories act, and offices and shops...
So not a new problem. If I remember something to do with an aircraft manufacturing hanger..
So, if reasonable maintain a temperature @13C for physical work (curtains, roller shutter doors, ambient heaters, etc), if not reasonable then your now in to providing thermal clothing, hot drinks, and a place of warmth (locker room, rest room etc).
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