Minimum temperature in a shop

[Sparks_]

Has anyone any idea what the minimum temp should be in a shop please?

 

I have just been to a small supermarket/grocery shop where a friend works and it was so cold!

 

 

I asked was there something wrong with the heating and my friend said it was switched off

and the owner of the shop will not put the heating on unless the staff contribute to the heating costs!

 

 

Is this legal?

 

 

If not what can they do to improve the working conditions please?

[honeybee13]

Hi. Here are the guidelines from the HSE.

 

http://www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/faq.htm

 

HB

[renegadeimp]

There is no minimum. Just an ideal temp. If the temp drops too low, then the workers should use correct PPE.

[Sparks_]

Is he allowed to ask them to contribute to the heating costs? There is a heating system installed as it used to be more comfortable to shop in, today it was positively uncomfortable!

 

He doesnt provide any PPE at all!

[renegadeimp]

A coat or jacket is considered appropriate PPE. If its a corner shop ran by a family or similar, then you could ask environmental health to step in, but youll likely find yourself in the jobcentre queue after lunch.

[Atlas01]

This may fall in line with the workplace regs as there is a minimum temp but as many people work under it (outside, cold stores, buildings with open hangers) there would be an expectation for the employer to keep things "reasonable"

 

asking your staff to pay for heat although fiendishly Dickensian may not go down well with the HSE if a complaint was made.

 

employers can tell you to keep your coat on but if it needs more or they want their "uniform" in place i would suspect a HSE inspector may be advising them to provide x,y,z free of charge

[Sparks_]

A coat or jacket is considered appropriate PPE. If its a corner shop ran by a family or similar, then you could ask environmental health to step in, but youll likely find yourself in the jobcentre queue after lunch.

 

Ot is a NISA store so bigger than a corner shop but not as big as say a co op store, the staff are not provided with a uniform and I have seen them with winter coats and gloves on working the tills!

[Sidewinder]

Providing that the employer allows the staff to wear coats and gloves this would be deemed appropriate management of the temperature (although ideally these should be provided by the employer!)

 

The regulations provide guidelines, but they are only that....guidelines and there is nothing set in law other than that a 'reasonable' temperature should be maintained or provision of appropriate clothing

[steampowered]

The relevant regulations say that the temperature in buildings must be 'reasonable' - see http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1992/3004/regulation/7/made.

 

Government guidance intreprets this to mean 16C and says that special clothing should not be required - see http://www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/faq.htm.

 

One way of tackling it would be to write to the owner/manager letting them know that you will not be visiting the store because it is too cold.

[Sparks_]

The relevant regulations say that the temperature in buildings must be 'reasonable' - see http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1992/3004/regulation/7/made.

 

Government guidance intreprets this to mean 16C and says that special clothing should not be required - see http://www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/faq.htm.

 

One way of tackling it would be to write to the owner/manager letting them know that you will not be visiting the store because it is too cold.

 

I wrote to the head office of NISA

[Sidewinder]

I wrote to the head office of NISA

 

Sadly unlikely to do much as NISA are merely a buying group - the shop will be independently owned, although they might just see it as a poor advertisement for their brand.

[Sparks_]

Sadly unlikely to do much as NISA are merely a buying group - the shop will be independently owned, although they might just see it as a poor advertisement for their brand.

 

I only wrote to the head office as I am sure the owner of the shop wouldnt be bothered about the low temperature in the shop and would do nothing to change it, I am going to see one of the shop assistants tomorrow away from the shop and give her the information from the HSE site

[labrat]

hate to say it nisa wont care

recently brought a bottle of wine from one

 

turned out to be from 2008 - undrinkable

 

shop said what did i expect for £4 - well something that didnt have large lumps of mold in would be nice

 

manufacturers calling me this week to ask questions

[honeybee13]

I think you're right to pursue it, labrat. A wine from 2008 wouldn't always be bad, but it would depend on whether it was red or white and how it was kept, as I understand it.

 

Different subject from this thread though.

 

HB

 

Good luck, HB

[labrat]

gallo zinfendel red

gallo still hasnt got back tho

 

anyway back to the posters thread