How cold is your workplace?

Minimum workplace temperatures - how low can you go?

Deloitte has reportedly reduced its office temperatures across 22 UK sites by two degrees in order to cut its energy consumption. When it comes to turning down the thermostat in your workplace to save energy during the cost-of-living crisis, how low can you go?

The relevant legislation (the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992) simply states that the temperature in all indoor workplaces must be reasonable during working hours. However, the Health and Safety Executive’s Approved Code of Practice and guidance on those regulations says that the temperature in an indoor workplace should both provide reasonable comfort without the need for special clothing, i.e. they shouldn’t need to have to wear their coats, hats and gloves, and normally be at least 16 degrees, and at least 13 degrees if the work involves rigorous physical effort. So, subject to these minimum temperature guidelines, you need to determine what reasonable comfort is in the circumstances, taking account of such factors as air movement, relative humidity and worker clothing. Temperature readings should be taken close to workstations, at working height and away from radiant heat sources and windows. Temperatures should also be reasonable in staff toilets, changing rooms and rest facilities, i.e. these rooms should not be cold.

However, these temperature guidelines don’t apply where it would be impractical to maintain them, e.g. in rooms which must be open to the outside, or where food or other products must be kept cold. In such cases, the temperature should be as close to those mentioned above as is practical.

Your indoor workplace temperature should provide reasonable comfort without the need for staff to wear special clothing and should normally be at least 16 degrees for sedentary office work and at least 13 degrees for work involving rigorous physical effort. So, you may be able to turn your thermostat down a degree or two like Deloitte has done.