Legal Minimum Temperatures
In the United Kingdom, there is currently no law that states a temperature is ‘too cold’ for carrying out work within a commercial setting. However, there is a recommended lowest temperature for working in two different types of jobs: manual and sedentary.
The Approved Code of Practice on the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations recognises that despite there being no legal limit for cold temperatures, all commercial spaces such as offices must be operated at a ‘reasonable temperature’.
At a minimum, workspaces carrying out sedentary work should generally be used at no lower than 16℃. Equally, workspaces for manual work, for example, lifting, pushing, pulling etc., should be used at no lower than 13℃.
How to Know If Your Office is Warm Enough
The best way to measure whether or not your working space is warm enough is to monitor your surroundings against HSE’s Thermal Comfort Checklist. This checklist covers areas such as air quality and movement, employee opinion and whether adequate ventilation exists.
Suppose a further investigation is required into the temperature of the office. In that case, the completion of a more thorough risk assessment can be completed to obtain additional advice on the optimal temperature for your space.
Tips to Prevent a Freezing Office
Use Quality Curtains and Blinds
The sun is a free heat source that many forget can primarily benefit office spaces regarding temperature. Letting in the sunlight through available windows can increase the workplace temperature at no cost.
When sunlight is no longer available, ensure the blinds and curtains are closed. These act as a second layer of insulation after the window to help keep the most heat inside.
Stop Cold Draughts
Any hot air in a space will pull in cold air from outdoors if there is space for it to enter.
By limiting the number of gaps and areas that air can enter through, you can reduce the amount of cold air that enters, maximising the heat retained in the office space.
Move Furniture Away from Radiators
Any pieces of furniture that may be pressing against vital heat sources, such as radiators and heaters, could be hindering their full potential to heat the room. They block the flow of warm air moving into the space, reducing the system’s effectiveness.
Suppose the blockage of heaters in the office can’t be avoided totally. In that case, you should aim to reposition the furniture so that it sits at least a few inches away from the heater to help maximise the amount of heat successfully entering the room.
Use Portable Heaters
It’s also worth considering using portable heaters for short periods of time in spaces that aren’t occupied for the entire work day.
They are specifically effective when used in conjunction with a standard heating system and assist with raising the room to a higher temperature much faster than the heating system alone.
Install a Smart Thermostat
Installing a smart thermostat into your space will enable you to have better control over your heating and potentially lower the costs of your heating bill too.
Older thermostats aren’t as effective as newer ones at controlling a room’s temperature and often require more monitoring and adjustments throughout the day. Having a smart thermostat installed means that you can control it remotely, and it is much more efficient at detecting changes more quickly.
Cost-effective and Innovative Ventilation Services from Accurate Mechanical Services.
If you require an updated heating or cooling system, Accurate Mechanical Services would be more than happy to assist in choosing the right one for you.
We have years of quality experience in installing, maintaining and repairing ventilation services for commercial and residential environments. Get in touch today.