Coping with hot weather at work

[Whistler40145]

How do you cope with hot weather at work, whether you're a driver, guard, non railway worker, office worker?

Does your employer provide such provisions as summer uniform, air conditioning, bottled water etc?

 

[Johnuk123]

I work from home and a couple of years ago I invested in some very expensive whole house fitted air conditioning.

It cost quite a few grand and I did consider it was a bit expensive but did it anyway, when you come in the house from outside it's lovely and chilled.

When it gets into the high 20's and above it's superb.

 

[Chapeltom]

My workplace is air-conditioned, so when you step out outside for a break or to go home it can be like walking into a furnace. I drink water as often as possible at work and out of it, easily drink 2.5-3 litres a day. At home I was using air-con in the summer, but invested in a fan and it paid for itself in a month with the reduction in my electric bill

I don't seriously believe 30C is all that hot, it may be for the UK but nowadays, on the rare occasions it dips down to 27/28C I can almost be reaching for my jumper. 35C today, and I'm happily walking round in long trousers.

 

[theblackwatch]

We have an air con system at work, unfortunately some people complain about being too cold when it is on though. Might have to wear my shorts to the office tomorrow!

 

[Whistler40145]

Blimey, theblackwatch in shorts, no worse than me!

 

[bussnapperwm]

Anything above 3C in my office and its tie off, fan on (in my end of the office...)

Anything above 12C it's emergency exit open, windows open, doors open, heaters banished to the cleaners cupboard...

 

[notadriver]

Some train cabs have windows that don't open so if the air con stops working .....

 

[Mike395]

Some train cabs have windows that don't open so if the air con stops working .....

You just open the whole door instead? :P

 

[notadriver]

You just open the whole door instead? :P

Then it wont go forward

 

[Johnuk123]

Some train cabs have windows that don't open so if the air con stops working .....

I used to drive HPM ballistic high security escort vehicles and they had no air con and no opening windows.

On hot days wearing very heavy kevlar body armour it was somewhat sticky.

 

[33056]

Got some nice, probably rather expensive, air-con here which covers two separate areas and will heat as well. The old unit was around 20 years old, covered both rooms, was hideously noisy and caused lots of disagreements in hot weather.

The technician would come in the equipment room and turn the air-con on to keep everything cool only for us lot in the other part to rush in and turn it off as it was too noisy to work with it on. Now each room has it's own unit, the equipment can keep cool and we can roast / chill as desired

 

[notadriver]

I used to drive HPM ballistic high security escort vehicles and they had no air con and no opening windows.

On hot days wearing very heavy kevlar body armour it was somewhat sticky.

Well in this case the train would get cancelled.

 

[507021]

I used to work in food production and the production area was always very cool. In the summer (when it was actually warm that is) it was great but in the winter it meant putting a couple of t-shirts and a few pairs of socks on!

At the moment I just take plenty of water with me and I take an extra 10 or 15 minute break before and after my lunch break which helps

 

[LexyBoy]

Ice cream! We have air con in the office but not in the lab... thick cotton lab coat + nitrile gloves at 28 C, loverly

Better than in the winter when the heating's packed in (more often than not) - working at 4 C in the middle of last winter

Anything above 3C in my office and its tie off, fan on (in my end of the office...)

Anything above 12C it's emergency exit open, windows open, doors open, heaters banished to the cleaners cupboard...

Are you a polar bear?!

 

[Crossover]

Depends where I am. In our "new" office that we moved into last year, we have what essentially amounts to a HVAC system (though no-one has really worked out how to use it) - the problem is it isn't zoned and is one control per floor (one floor is split in two for reasons I won't go into) means one office will be freezing while another (usually mine!) is roasting (in winter it is the opposite with mine usually being freezing as everyone else has got too warm and turned it off). The whole lot is controlled from reception too

Where I am currently, the office block doesn't have too many people in so it isn't too bad. I, though, am in what we refer to as the "padded cell" (has a window but it overlooks a metal equipment shed so not too much light) behind the server room. As it was used for computer equipment in the past it has an air con unit, so if it gets a bit too toasty, I can use that (will also cool the office next to me too if the door is left open) - the downside is in winter it has no heating, so is usually cold then. As for today, walking out of the office into the sun to go for lunch nearly burnt my retinas hock:

The worst place though when it gets warm is on the tech gallery of our artspace where we put on shows. No air conditioning (too noisy when doing a show) with the heat of the audience and a multitude of lanterns rising......and that is where I am every night this week! The saving grace is the lighting designer has used a load of LED lights for this show, to get the desired effects, so the heat so far hasn't been as opressive as it might have otherwise been - also lucky as some of the cast are under about 3 layers of costumes at some points!

 

[TheNewNo2]

The office is nice and cool, well, according to my clock it's 25 but I think the thermometer on that is a bit on the high side. At home I have a fan and open windows, otherwise I boil.

 

[Chapeltom]

Apparently a heatwave this week in the UK, I live in one. This is my 250th day in Thailand, I've known it dip below 27C twice in the day and I have known it be 23-24C at night and believe me that is cold. I think the average high in April was over 37C, including a week of 37-40C, one day got close to breaking Bangkok's all time record high/may have beaten it. I was actually in southern Laos, where it was hotter still and so missed it, but I was told even the Thais did not find it pleasant. Summer is gone, but going to be 33C plus every day until probably November when it starts to cool down again for winter.

It's wonderful to live and never have to worry about being cold, except in 7 Eleven/trains where the air con is horrendously cold.

 

[WestCoast]

Apparently a heatwave this week in the UK, I live in one. This is my 250th day in Thailand, I've known it dip below 27C twice in the day and I have known it be 23-24C at night and believe me that is cold. I think the average high in April was over 37C, including a week of 37-40C, one day got close to breaking Bangkok's all time record high/may have beaten it. I was actually in southern Laos, where it was hotter still and so missed it, but I was told even the Thais did not find it pleasant. Summer is gone, but going to be 33C plus every day until probably November when it starts to cool down again for winter.

It's wonderful to live and never have to worry about being cold, except in 7 Eleven/trains where the air con is horrendously cold.

I guess you do get used it and especially if enclosed spaces includes places of work are appropriately set-up for the weather conditions. I think the humidity over there would get me more than anything.

My parents realised their dream last year and retired to the Canaries from Lancashire, they dislike anything below about 22C and especially rain. It is a very nice climate there IMO.

Out here in Central Europe it does get, relatively speaking, rather warm in Summer too (alongside the cold and snowy winters), end of May and early June it was regularly pushing 30C+ and sunshine. Cooled down a bit middle June but the next two weeks we are probably going to see the other side of 30C regularly. My flat doesn't have air conditioning so I have a couple of fans and open the windows and balcony doors. At University everyone, including some staff, has started wearing shorts.

 

[Chapeltom]

I guess you do get used it and especially if enclosed spaces includes places of work are appropriately set-up for the weather conditions. I think the humidity over there would get me more than anything.

My parents realised their dream last year and retired to the Canaries from Lancashire, they dislike anything below about 22C and especially rain. It is a very nice climate there IMO.

Out here in Central Europe it does get, relatively speaking, rather warm in Summer too (alongside the cold and snowy winters), end of May and early June it was regularly pushing 30C+ and sunshine. Cooled down a bit middle June but the next two weeks we are probably going to see the other side of 30C regularly. My flat doesn't have air conditioning so I have a couple of fans and open the windows and balcony doors. At University everyone, including some staff, has started wearing shorts.

I don't mind the heat, which funnily enough is the complete opposite of me in the UK. I used to hide from it. Here, I don't mind it. I just don't like sweating and what it does to your skin, I've had more spots at 22 than I ever did in my teens.

I work in a mall which is pretty good, also means a choice of fantastic places to eat lunch Always hit by a fiery blast of heat once you step back outside again. To be honest from day 1 the heat never bothered me like I expected it to. I'd hate to return to the UK in winter right now.

There is more to why I like it than the weather though, I've explained in more detail on the thread about teenagers and work, and more detail as to why I won't be returning to the UK anytime soon.

 

[CC 72100]

On the subject of heat, just got off a very hot 12:25 Plymouth - Glasgow with no air con in coaches E, F and possibly G. Guard, to their credit came round with a crate of much longed-for water.

 

[SS4]

Anything above 3C in my office and its tie off, fan on (in my end of the office...)

Anything above 12C it's emergency exit open, windows open, doors open, heaters banished to the cleaners cupboard...

Can I work in your office?

We have air con, decided to go to Tesco to get some food on my break but instead got distracted by the ice cream man

 

[ASharpe]

In an office I had a few years ago we had non adjustable thermostats in each room and it was all supposed to be very eco friendly. So in winter I'd put a cold paper towel on top of it to keep it cold and get the heaters on, for summer I made a small resistive heater for it using an old phone charger. It made the office much more comfortable.

Today I'm the only one in my office wearing long trousers but I think that might change from tomorrow, I'm quitting this job shortly anyway.

 

[Donny Dave]

I used to work in food production and the production area was always very cool. In the summer (when it was actually warm that is) it was great but in the winter it meant putting a couple of t-shirts and a few pairs of socks on!

In food production it all depends on what the company produces and the area you work in. I work at a poultry processing plant, and going from despatch (today it was 1.1 degress in there) into the battery bay (basically a tin shed) to change forklifts while wearing a freezer suit (jacket and leggings) was not very comfortable!

 

[richw]

My employer sent an email this afternoon telling us to wear our own clothes rather than business attire for the rest of the week

 

[bussnapperwm]

Are you a polar bear?!

In a word...yes

 

[Kite159]

My office at work only has a couple windows which can be opened, with the side effect of the door being closed by the wind currents within the building.

No ties, short-sleeve shirts, plus a lovely walk-in freezer in which to stand in to "check stock levels" or "look for something" to cool down.

Old building.

 

[PeterY]

I work outside doing gardens. Being self employed I can do what hours suit me. So if it's hot, it's an early start. I try to follow the shade. Sometimes I work in the evenings and avoid the mid afternoon heat. Also I drink plenty of fluids, tea and water.

 

[507021]

In food production it all depends on what the company produces and the area you work in. I work at a poultry processing plant, and going from despatch (today it was 1.1 degress in there) into the battery bay (basically a tin shed) to change forklifts while wearing a freezer suit (jacket and leggings) was not very comfortable!

I used to work in a seafood factory David. Generally I worked in the production area but on the odd few occasions I would work in the packing area instead if an extra pair of hands was required

 

[GaryMcEwan]

I'm based at my works Head Office and the Air Con is blasting 24/7 regardless whether it's hot or cold, so it doesn't make any difference to me at all, and they still make us wear adhere to their 'business casual' dress policy...which makes no sense to me at all but that's another thing altogether...

 

[Whistler40145]

I work for my local hospice in retail and fundraising, allowed to wear shorts when working on the van taking stock around the shops, but not permitted in the shops or working in the offices, we don't wear ties, but I always wear a short sleeved shirt and make sure my hair is cut short as it's rather thick.