As temperatures continue to increase - the rules on working during the heatwave have been revealed.

You’re probably already drenched in sweat from your way in to work this morning, so the thought of it getting even hotter is probably making you dread the rest of the working week.

But how hot is too hot to work?

It’s unlikely that you will get time off work because it’s too warm.

If you work in an office, TUC guidance states that the maximum temperature you should work in is 30C and if you’re a manual worker it’s 27C.

But unfortunately there is no Government law for maximum or minimum working temperature in an office.

What do the government guidelines state?

The government’s official guidelines state "during working hours the temperature in all indoors workplaces must be reasonable.

"Having said that, employers must adhere to the health and safety of work law, which states temperatures must be kept at a comfortable level and they must provide fresh, clean air for workers."

Hexham Courant:

What is the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Advice?

Outdoors - For employers:

  • Reschedule work to cooler times of the day.
  • Provide more frequent rest breaks and introduce shading to rest areas.
  • Provide free access to cool drinking water Introduce shading in areas where individuals are working.
  • Encourage the removal of personal protective equipment when resting to help encourage heat loss.
  • Educate workers about recognising the early symptoms of heat stress.

Outdoors - For employees:

  • If work keeps you outdoors for a long time your skin could be exposed to more sun than is healthy for you.
  • You should take particular care if you have: fair or freckled skin that doesn’t tan, or goes red or burns before it tans, red or fair hair and light coloured eyes, a large number of mole.
  • Too much sunlight is harmful to your skin as it can cause skin damage including sunburn, blistering and skin ageing and in the long term can lead to an increased risk of skin cancer.
  • You can manage your exposure to the sun by wearing high factor sunscreen, drinking lots of water and taking regular breaks in shaded areas.

Indoors - For employers:

  • Workplaces need to be adequately ventilated so that they remove and dilute warm and humid air.
  • Frequent rest breaks should be permitted.
  • Free access to cool drinking water should be available and the containers should be refilled at least daily.
  • Educate workers about recognising the early symptoms of heat stress.

The TUC says: "An employer must provide a working environment which is, as far as is reasonably practical, safe and without risks to health.

"In addition, employers have to assess risks and introduce any necessary prevention or control measures.

Indoors - For employees:

  • Take regular breaks and drink lots of water.
  • If the heat is unbearable and enough of your colleagues complain, your boss is legally obliged to carry out a risk assessment.

According to the TUC, the maximum temperature for a workplace is 30°C for desk work and 27°C for manual work. If your office exceeds that amount, you should be allowed to go home.