It`s been uncomfortable heat for most people across the country in recent days, and it`s especially difficult for kids stuck in a classroom. For more information, please download the complete guide “Hot weather and temperature in the classroom”. The Health and Safety Management (Northern Ireland) Regulations 1999 and 2000 require employers to carry out an appropriate assessment of the risks to the health, safety and welfare of their workers and to take all necessary and reasonably practicable measures. Workplace temperature is one of the issues that employers should address in order to meet their legal requirements. All classrooms should undergo a risk assessment, and this applies to excessive and insufficient temperatures. Temperatures can vary greatly between similar rooms, partly due to factors such as whether the room is facing north or south. Health surveillance or medical examination may be required for employees who have special requirements, such as pregnancy, certain illnesses and disabilities, and who may be taking medication or working in environments known for cold or heat. If necessary, medical advice should be sought. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has developed comprehensive temperature guidelines. Other measures may also be considered, such as closing classrooms that are excessively hot and teaching elsewhere, or even sending students home, provided parents have been properly informed. The union called for a maximum temperature of 30°C in classrooms, which would result in children being sent home if thermometers exceeded that level.
Under UK law, there is no temperature at which it is legally too hot to work. It`s in workplaces like factories and blacksmiths, where high temperatures are the order of the day (similar to classrooms filled with 32 students in mid-July). The teachers` union NEU recommends a maximum of 26 degrees in classrooms, saying anything above that limit is “too hot for effective teaching and learning.” Summer arrived in the UK this week with a bang, with at least a week more of magnificent weather promised by the Met Office. But a week after this week before schools leave, many parents are wondering how hot it is and schools may send their children home if temperatures continue to rise, making classrooms sweltering and outdoor activities difficult. The NEW page on high temperatures in classrooms also offers advice on precautions to take during particularly hot periods, such as installing reflective films or blinds on windows, limiting certain heat-generating activities (such as using computers, Bunsen burners, stoves, design equipment and technology), and adjusting school schedules to avoid the hottest of the day. Maximum temperatures in the classroom can be a hot topic of discussion during the summer months. GOV.UK explains that during working hours, the temperature must be appropriate in all indoor workplaces. But with such high temperatures in classrooms, are schools allowed to close or send children home early if it`s too hot? There have been calls from the National Education Union (NEW) to introduce maximum temperature in classrooms, but as it stands, there is none. During working hours, the temperature must be appropriate in all indoor workplaces. In this article, we`ll look at the topic of classroom temperatures and what you can do if you want to raise concerns about your school. During a heat wave in 2013, teachers called for legal maximum temperatures to be set in classrooms, fearing it would be too hot for children.
Extremely high temperatures in classrooms can affect the ability of staff and students to concentrate, and even lead to “physical ailments and illnesses.” The National Union of Teachers said special measures should be taken to lower temperatures once staff complain of not feeling well, suggesting in a report that 26C should be used as a trigger for these measures. “Other measures may also be considered, such as closing classrooms that are excessively hot and teaching classes elsewhere, or even sending students home if parents have been properly informed,” the union`s report said. The ACoP requires that when the temperature in a workspace or classroom is uncomfortably high, for example: Due to hot processes or building design, all reasonable steps must be taken to achieve a reasonably comfortable temperature, such as: As the UK braces for this week`s hottest day with temperatures potentially reaching 40 degrees, The effects of a stifling classroom are likely to affect students and staff, and can even cause physical illness. The Workplace Ordinance states that a sufficient number of thermometers must be available at a reasonable distance from each part of the workplace so that temperatures can be measured in each part of the workplace. They do not require a thermometer to be provided in every room. Alcohol, liquid crystal bands and digital thermometers may lose accuracy over time and should be used as a general guideline. The NEW recommends taking several measurements in class with thermometers, including the official school measurement, before taking measurements. The National Union of Teachers also conducted a report on high temperatures in classrooms and came to the same conclusion. These legal requirements can be enforced by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors, who can issue legally binding notices of compliance to employers.
Even at the lower temperatures that can occur in classrooms, the heat still leads to loss of concentration and increased fatigue, which means teachers are more likely to put themselves or others at risk. Children, especially the very young, probably suffer the most from extreme heat and may not know how to protect themselves. While there is no legal maximum temperature in UK law, the World Health Organization recommends 75°F (24°C) as the maximum for comfortable work indoors, with anything above 26°C definitely unacceptable. Excuses to begin with: if you came here looking for a precedent to close your classroom when the mercury hits 30 degrees, you`ll be disappointed. Excessive temperatures in classrooms are not only unpleasant, but also pose a health and safety risk, as excessive heat can exacerbate existing medical conditions. Many studies have also shown that excessive heat in classrooms has an impact on student learning, with a 1°C temperature increase coupled with a 2% drop in learning. The effects of extreme temperatures are even more striking when you consider that each additional school day with a temperature of 30°C reduces student performance by one-sixth of the learning year. Disadvantaged students also suffer up to three times more from excessive temperatures than other students. [1] If excessive temperatures are a problem in your school, there are a number of things you can do to address the issue. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 require thermometers to be provided at the workplace. Thermometers should be available at appropriate locations in every part of the workplace to allow people to measure temperatures, but they do not need to be provided in every workspace. Thermometers should not be placed directly in front of windows or near radiant heat sources.
If temperatures exceed reasonable limits, the employer should conduct a risk assessment and take steps to address the problem, which may include the use of additional blinds, fans, or cooling or heating. Where appropriate, employers should also provide alternative premises or, in extreme situations, order the partial or total closure of the building. Adequate ventilation is also crucial, especially in classrooms used for subjects such as technology where dust can be generated. Legally, classrooms must be able to be properly ventilated. The COVID-19 pandemic further highlights the importance of adequate ventilation to prevent airborne transmission, including influenza and colds. Adequate ventilation is not only a health and safety issue, but also a teaching and learning issue. There is a scientifically proven link between carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and the brain`s ability to learn. Adequate ventilation is therefore essential for effective learning. CO2 monitors should be used to measure levels in classrooms and measurements should be taken where appropriate.
For more information on ventilation, please visit our Ventilation and Covid-19 page. Employers should ensure that an easily accessible source of drinking water is available for staff and students and, where possible, consider flexible work arrangements to prevent classrooms from being particularly vulnerable to high temperatures during the hottest hours of the day. Although there is no legal maximum temperature in the UK, the World Health Organisation recommends a maximum temperature of 24°C. UK law requires working temperatures to be reasonable and employers are required to take all reasonable steps to achieve this. See below for details. If the school does not resolve the issue, contact NASUWT for advice. During a heatwave in 2013, teachers called for legal maximum temperatures to be set in classrooms, with NASUWT teachers` union general secretary Chris Keates saying heatwave temperatures can make students lethargic, affect concentration and lead to fainting. The union called for a maximum temperature of 30°C in classrooms – which would result in children being sent home if thermometers exceeded that level, but this was not accepted. Likewise, the minimum temperatures in the classroom, which we talked about here. How daily use of SPF can actually reverse the signs of aging, according to experts. So the general consensus is that 26°C is the maximum temperature your child should go to school, but there is no rule to cancel school even in this heat.