Health and Safety

Common Complaints/ Queries

Workplace is too hot / too cold

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The workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 apply. They state that the temperatures in workplaces inside buildings must be reasonable, and that thermometers must be provided to enable staff etc to check workplace temperatures. The normal minimum working temperature is at least 16°C unless the work involves severe physical effort in which case the temperature should be at least 13°C.

There is no legally specified maximum working temperatures, however, there is a requirement to carry out a risk assessment if high temperatures are likely and to take all reasonable steps to achieve a reasonably comfortable temperature eg providing air cooling plant, siting workstations away from places subject to radiant heat.

We would expect employers to take "reasonable" precautions, may not include dealing with very occasional hot days.

Do we need to have separate male/female toilets?

How many toilets do we have to provide?

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 apply. These state that suitable and sufficient sanitary conveniences and washing facilities must be provided at readily accessible places.

Separate male and female facilities are not necessarily required for smaller premises. The regulations provide a table for calculating how many WC's are required based on the number of employees.

Please contact us for further information.

Am I entitled to a tea or lunch break?

The Working Time Regulations apply. Workers are entitled to a break of at least 20 minutes if they have worked more than six hours.

Young workers are entitled to a rest break of at least 30 minutes if they work for more than 4½ hours. Rest breaks are not in addition to lunch breaks.

It is up to the employer and the worker to agree between them whether breaks are paid. In many cases this will be determined by the existing contract.

Is there a maximum number of hours I can work without a break?

The Working Time Regulations apply.

Daily rest

Workers are entitled to 11 hours uninterrupted rest between each working day. Young workers are entitled to a 12 hour break between each working day.

Weekly rest

Workers are entitled to one whole day off a week or two whole days off every two weeks. Young workers are entitled to two days off each week.

Days off are in addition to paid annual leave.

Paid annual leave

Every worker - whether part-time or full-time - is entitled to four weeks paid annual leave.

There are some exemptions to the above rules, please contact us if you require further clarification.

I work in a shop, at a cash desk and I haven't been given a chair.

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 apply.

These state that a suitable seat must be provided for each person at work, where work includes the kind of activity that can or must be done sitting.

Therefore at a cash desk if the majority of the workplace activity can be carried out seated then a suitable seat must be provided.

I have suffered an accident at work and wish to report it.

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 apply.

We would be happy to note the details of your accident. However, if a major injury has occurred (eg necessitating a trip to hospital or over 3 days off work) then your employer is obliged to report it, to the Incident Contact Centre tel. 0845 3009923.

We consider all accidents occurring in 'Our' premises to establish if any significant breaches of the health and safety rules have occurred.