Posted By Darren Bates Afternoon, I'm in a catch 22 situation and require any advice available. We have a production area situated next to dispatch area. The dispatching of goods throughout the day requires the large shutter door to be open approx 3-5 times a day at half hour a time. I have taken accurate temperatures at different timed intervals and it is evident that the heating in situ is not adequate to keep a constant temperature whilst the doors are open, it takes roughly an hour to get back up to a 'reasonable' temperature (16degrees). I have been told by the workers that they will walk out if nothing is done the next time they are really cold. I have made suggestions to the board on various solutions,ie, speed doors, curtains, alternative/extra heating but I am frustrated by the lack of commitment as a quote from the MD was "we don't know how long this cold snap is going to last". Can anyone throw any light on this subject or any advice on how to tackle a 'tough' MD??

Posted By Joe Quinn Darren, I'm assuming you are a safety advisor so your job seems to be done here. If you have proferred advice to management and they chose to ignore it that cannot, then, be your responsibility - it becomes a management problem and their responsibility.

Posted By cameron We had a seperate Goods In bay consisting of perspex screens and shutter door attached to the outside shutter door at Formula 1. Other alternative is to let them walk out and the MD will soon panic when he sees his/her money not coming into the business. Concerned about a comment where the workers were issued with fleeces, thought PPE was a last resort! Ian Cameron Safety Advisor Gee Construction Ltd

Posted By Danny Swygart I predict that your MD will do nothing hoping that the employees will forget about it all once the temperatures increase, this will then reoccur next year.....and the year after..and the year after. Unless of course someone actually makes a stand and walks out. Money is probably all that your MD understands and he is probably so far removed from reality up in his ivory tower that he has lost all sense of what it is like to be a worker on the shop floor (if he ever knew in the first place). Remind him that it is xmas and a workplace with a reasonable temperature could be his present to his staff this year! Rant......rant.....rant....Scrooge...Bah Humbug! Merry Xmas Everyone!