The Commons: Maximum Temperature Laws
Jabez Cutamora
Following the Met Office’s Extreme Heat warning that covered most of England during July 2026, renewed debates have emerged over the consensus of Britain introducing legally enforceable maximum workplace temperatures. As heatwaves in Britain are increasingly more common, supporters argue that the current legislation no longer reflects a modern-day Britain and its changing climate. Others, however, question whether new legislation would create unnecessary burdens for employers and whether existing health and safety laws are already sufficient.
Committee’s Demands from Government
The discussion has been amplified following the UK Climate Change Committee (CCC), Parliament’s independent statutory adviser on climate change. In its recent assessment in May 2026, the Committee advised that the government should take action and claimed that “we are unprepared for climate change”. The report argued that current legislation is outdated and does not reflect the UK’s current climate and growing scientific evidence that the UK is experiencing hotter summers.
In these findings, the committee stressed the annual figures for heat-related excess deaths that already exceed 1,400 to 3,000 a year. By 2050, the CCC claims that this could rise to 3,000-10,000. While these figures are estimated, the committee argues that this is a pressing need for intervention from the government to reduce future deaths and implications from workplace overheating injuries.
Among its recommendations were three proposals relating specifically to extreme heat: The investiture in cooling key workplace settings, the need to have a maximum workplace temperature and the acceleration of the uptake of cooling for the most vulnerable. The Committee claim that these three proposals will address the increasing risks that high temperatures pose to workers’ safety and also incentivise the need for cooling with AC units.
Current Workplace Legislation
One suggestion that has taken the public and parliament by storm is the introduction of a legally enforceable maximum workplace temperature. Unlike many European countries, the UK currently does not have an upper legal temperature limit for workplaces. Current legislation remains vague, with the suggestion in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, that employers must provide a “reasonable” indoor working condition that ensures working conditions do not pose risks to employees. Current legislation does not define what constitutes an unacceptably high temperature, leaving employers to assess heat-related risks based on the nature of the work, the working environment and the needs of individual employees.
Alongside the 1974 Act, employers are also expected to comply with the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, which require indoor workplaces to maintain a reasonable, ventilated temperature during working hours. Similar to the Health and Safety at Work Act, these regulations do not specify a maximum temperature. Instead of specifying a maximum temperature, the Health and Safety Executive recommends that employers carry out risk assessments and introduce cautious measures such as improved ventilation, access to water and additional rest breaks. Although these measures are important, supporters argue that the lack of a legally defined maximum temperature creates vocal unrest for both employers and employees during times of extreme heat and risks being detrimental to their mental and physical health. With the lack of measures, employees are at risk of exploitation and exertion during periods of heat. Supporters of legislative reform argue that a statutory limit would provide the legal framework to protect employees from these issues and create an environment where concerns can be raised if conditions become unsafe.
Trade Unions and The Need to Reform
Trade unions have been vocal about the need to reform current legislation, with the Trades Union Congress (TUC) calling for specific legislation that protects both office workers and workers doing strenuous manual jobs. The organisation has argued that as periods of extreme heat are more frequent, workers should have a legal infrastructure on maximum temperatures and legal protections regardless of the sector they are employed in.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak spoke about the need for new legislation to protect workers from possible side effects of heat:
“Indoor workplaces should be kept at comfortable temperatures, with relaxed dress codes and flexible working to make use of the coolest hours of the day. And employers must make sure outdoor workers are protected with regular breaks, lots of fluids, plenty of sunscreen and the right protective clothing. With heatwaves becoming more common, we need to adapt. We need new laws on maximum working temperatures, improvements to workplaces to keep them cool, and climate action to reduce global heating.”
Criticisms and Critics of Proposed Legislation
While health campaigners, trade unions and the Climate Change Committee have argued that stronger legal protections are needed, the proposal has also attracted criticism from employers and those who favour maintaining the current legislative framework. Critics argue that introducing a legally enforceable maximum temperature could create practical and economic challenges across a wide variety of industries, particularly where working conditions vary.
One of the most prominent concerns is that a singular maximum temperature may not be appropriate for every sector and workplace. Manual labour jobs such as construction have different workplace demands to teaching and healthcare, meaning that temperature alone may not accurately reflect the level of risk that employees face. Critics argue that humidity, ventilation and the physical demands for the job should also be considered when assessing whether conditions are safe.
Conditions to consider when assessing workplace maximum temperatures:
The amount of physical exertion that the role requires
Task duration
Whether there is a heat source in the environment ie. machinery
Is PPE being worn that protects against harmful toxins, chemicals, asbestos, flames, extreme heat etc?
Can workers make changes to their clothing in response to high or low temperatures?
Is there any equipment that produces steam?
As a result, many critics argue that employers should carry out individual risk assessments to determine the maximum workplace temperature in different sectors.
The financial implications of introducing this new legislation have also been brought up. Many small businesses could face additional costs associated with installing air conditioning and upgrading ventilation systems. Critics argue that this could place a strain on businesses already facing rising operating expenses, particularly in sectors such as retail and hospitality where profit margins can be small. The financial implications of this legislation would be detrimental to small businesses, and if this legislation is passed, a grace period of 2-3 months would be advisable to allow proper budgeting from business owners to manage their finances to keep their business afloat whilst also making their workplace a safe environment for their employees.
Another concern raised is the enforcement of this legislation. Critics argue that the scale of this legislation would require widespread enforcement by inspectors and health and safety officers to inspect businesses, which would be costly to taxpayers and the government. The enforcement of this legislation is a prominent worry, as critics argue that it would be deemed difficult to assess whether workplaces are too hot for regular working conditions.
Conclusion
As the government considers the Climate Change Committee's recommendations, the debate over maximum workplace temperatures continues to reflect the broader political challenge of balancing worker protection, economic costs and climate adaptation in a changing Britain.