Overview
- The Health and Safety Executive has confirmed it will launch a public consultation this year to propose changes to the Approved Code of Practice that could set upper limits for workplace temperatures.
- A Change.org petition started by Kerry Cooper gathered more than 20,000 signatures within 24 hours on Friday, amplifying calls for a legal maximum and sharing firsthand accounts of unsafe conditions.
- Current UK law sets minimum indoor working temperatures of 16°C (13°C for strenuous work) but contains no statutory upper limit, leaving employers to manage heat risks under general health and safety duties.
- Workers quoted on the petition described hazardous conditions in factories, warehouses and care homes, and trade unions and doctors have urged formal protections such as a stop‑work right above 30°C and specific caps for staff safety.
- Lawmakers and businesses should expect further detail later this year when the HSE consultation concludes, which could lead to explicit temperature caps similar to rules used in countries such as Spain.