Workplace sickness will surely increase wont it

[Friedbacon35]

With ever increasing termps aibu to think workplace sickness might spike in summer in future

I feel like I can barely do my job during the hottest part of the day felt like going to pass out

There needs to be legal maximum temp where you can just leave work

This is currently being discussed by government. So maybe by next summer there will be.

What if you work treating patients? Do you just walk out still?

there is always one isnt there.....

Yes, it's becoming a great excuse, especially for schools. Even better than snow days.

Well I’m honestly wondering. I was treating patients with sweat running down my face behind my mask etc. If it’s illegal for me to keep working do I just leave?

Just walking out because of heat is not sustainable. Or do you have one of those jobs where you'd be happy to work until 70 and beyond?

Nurses, care staff, firefighters, chefs, etc have to soldier on in what feels like a furnace.

I think productivity will suffer if we don't take steps to be ready for warmer weather. But those steps such as how we build, what air cooling is normal and standard, refrigeration standards on equipment, etc will also take decades to put in place. Plus if we're going to have just a heatwave or two for no more than 2-3 weeks of each year will anybody really want to invest?

If you still have a pulse, you keep working. A state of advanced decomposition might get you a week off 🙈

I think the law just needs to be changed to make it a legal requirement for any (inside) workplace to have aircon

nooo, we’ll get evening claps and hurrahs again and told that as “essential workers” suck it up buttercup! 😆

As a menopausal chef on a 12 hour day I know there was not a legal higher temperature.
I now do 8 hours.Much better.

Yes there is isn’t there..
what you mean @Friedbacon35 is “it’s too hot for me to work so I should get to walk out, but other people don’t matter as much as me”

Ummm - im not sure because there are countries which are hotter (im from one of them) and we cant just walk out, we will be fired 😂

Duty of care to provide a safe working environment already.

As long as you sew up Mrs Jones before you leave 🥰

This isn't just office jobs you mean?

@nam3c4ang3 this was my thinking. There was a BBC article recently about construction workers in India working in 46° heat.

Then heard someone on the radio who was working as a welder in the UK when it was forecast to be 39°.

Would be hard to set rules and limits which work for everyone. Don't envy anyone that task.

There's a demonstrable drop in productivity when it's hot. I certainly am less productive I feel like I'm wading through treacle

There is an element of acclimatisation, if this weather becomes the norm we will get better at managing.

However if there was a stronger legal framework for temperature then there would be more expectation on workplaces to manage it better- install air con where possible, relax dress codes, provide ice, encourage home working etc… I think this is more sensible than a blanket ‘it’s 35degrees in this room I’m leaving’

Oh gosh, where is it you work? I’m assuming a manual job?

This is what they should be doing. Making the workplace better rather than just saying people can walk out. Because it’s only ever “office workers” that think this should be a thing. They’ll happily walk out of their office job but then complain the same day when their nail appointment is cancelled because the nail lady walked out.

Plus what if you work outside? You can’t put air con outside. If you’re getting married on a really hot day what if the photographer “walks out” because it’s too hot? I mean I’m assuming all the people who are for the walking out law expect to still be paid? So I’m sure the wedding photographer does as well. So no refund there!

What’s so frustrating in the UK is that often things could be done to make it cooler but because there is absolutely no pressure to keep below a minimum heat, they’re not.
DH’s department has recently been moved into a new super expensive building with no air conditioning 😳
Often there are big, unshaded non opening windows. Madness.

Haven’t worked in a school which had a snow day in 9 years and then we only closed in the afternoon as it came down hard!

I think snow days used to be more common 30 years ago and now it’ll be heatwaves instead.

Of air con could be provided in every school there would be no need to close but at the moment schools are like greenhouses and not only are the pupils not learning but it’s unsafe.

Snow day beast in the east 2018

Oh! Yes there was - I was on maternity 😂