Bad working conditions

[Faith28]

My husband works as a printer in a printing factory (surprisingly!).

He's told me that the printers are all suffering there because they don't have any aircon and it makes their lives a misery. The machines are really hot to be around and there is only one small window, no ventilation. The office workers are based upstairs in their cosy airconditioned environment!

The printers also work around chemicals which they aren't given special protection masks for.


I am worried about my husband as he works really hard and finds it getting worse and worse now that the weather is sweltering.

What can he do? He's worried that if he complains he'll lose his job.

 

[Cornish Steve]

I don't know about regulations, so others should address that issue. If I was in your husband's situation, though, I'd go to the people in the company that I trust and mention these problems to them. Happier workers may lead to more productive workers and lower staff turn-over. For the cost of air conditioning and a few masks, the company could earn itself a more loyal workforce.

 

[Antonia @limeone.com]

There is no upper temperature control in law currently so the matter is one of Health and Safety as the temperature needs to be 'reasonable'. If the temperature is very high, then more drinks, fans ventilation, even portable air con units needs to be considered.

Given the lack of protective clothing as well it seems this needs bringing to the attention of the management sooner rather than later as both are Health and Saefty issues. I understand the concerns over dismissal also and much depends on the length of service and the general attitude of the management to work place conditions.

If there is a union then they should be involved, if not then mentioning this to the HR or manager can be done without it being a major formal issue straightaway. Get those in charge to come into the printing area and advise that without the temperature being brought down productivity will drop substantially and staff may become ill with heatstroke and nausea.

The World Health organisation and building inspectorate consider 22.8-24 degrees to be the maximum but this is not as yet in UK law.

 

[KM-Tiger]

The printers also work around chemicals which they aren't given special protection masks for.

That could be because they don't need any. Your husband's company should have done a COSHH risk assessment on these chemicals. Sometimes things are smelly but harmless, depending on the level of exposure. The company's Health and Safety Policy should be freely available to all employees and should deal with this.

That said, real life is usually less than ideal, and as others have sugggested an approach along the lines of how productivity could be improved is likely to be met more favourably.

 

[Jayne]

Hi

This is quite good for info http://www.hse.gov.uk/

We used to have a bakery, so I know about heat. We couldn't have air con as it spoils the bread, maybe this is something to do with printing too, some paints crack if cooled too quickly.

We used to run our wrists under cold water for 5 mins if we were over heating and drank lots of water. You can get sachets for dehydration from the chemist which are quite good to keep in too.

Luckily, we don't often have heat waves here, so it's short lived.

Jayne

 

[mcjoyes]

Antonia is correct - there is no upper temperature limit in Health and Safety law, however every employer has a duty of care to their employees health and safety. The issue should be raised with management, and there are steps they can take to reduce the problem.

Air-con is not always an option because of the cost to install and maintain, and depending upon the site whether there is sufficient power supply.

But, there are other things that can be done, such as the supply of a water cooler (plumbed in or bottled) to dispense cold water. Regular permitted breaks out of the area would be an option. Fans, whilst not truly effective in any real way, at least provide some supply of cooler air which can help.

With regards to masks - it depends upon the types of chemicals used as to the necessity of personal protective equipment. The chemicals should come with manufacturers guidance and a COSHH data sheet which should state any requirements.

Hope this helps - get back to me if you want any more info.

Matt Joyes
H&S Consultant