POLITICIANS and unions have called for new maximum temperature laws in the workplace. 

Scotland is sweltering today, with the mercury expected to hit the mid-30s. South of the border, the Met Office has already recorded 39.1C in Charlwood, Surrey, the hottest temperature ever recorded in the UK.

There is currently no law in the UK stipulating the maximum temperature of a workplace.

The TUC has said that nobody should be expected to work somewhere hotter than 30C, or 27C if their work is strenuous. 

Meanwhile, the GMB union said the maximum temperature should be closer to 25C, with staff allowed to wear cooler clothes and take extra breaks.

Though employment law is reserved to Westminster, Willie Rennie has filed a parliamentary motion in support of a top heat which urges Scottish ministers to “raise this issue with their UK Government counterparts with a view to placing this on a legal footing.” 

He said: “Unfortunately, high temperatures are only going to become more common so the faster we think about adaptation the better. 

“High temperatures are clearly a concern for workers and workplace representatives alike.  They lead to more accidents and falling productivity so reducing them can be a win-win. 

“Introducing a maximum workplace temperature and a duty for bosses to take action to keep their workers cool would be a sensible and humane step. 

“From increasing ventilation to moving staff away from sources of heat, there are simple steps which can be taken to make workspaces a more pleasant place. 

“I would like to see Scottish ministers take this issue up with their UK counterparts to see what can be done to give this legal force.” 

Ross Greer from the Greens said the maximum temperature was “an idea whose time has come.” 

He added: “The temperatures we are seeing this week should not be normal, but they are sadly likely to become just that as the effects of the climate emergency are made clear.

"All employers are required to provide a safe working environment. If they are unwilling to do so, their workers should be protected from extreme heat by the law.

“It shouldn't take government to force employers into protecting their staff though.

"Organisations should be taking steps now to mitigate the worst effects of the heat, including by seriously considering whether workers need to travel into their office at all, or if their work can either be done from home or paused without any loss of pay.

"The scorching heat we're seeing right now is not a one-off. Unfortunately, as we look to the future, these sweltering conditions are likely to become more common.

"A maximum working temperature is now clearly essential in an era of regular heatwaves. Our climate is changing. It's time for workers' rights to do the same."

Guidance from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says workplaces should ideally be at least 16C, or 13C if the job is mostly physical.

Responding to the call for a legal maximum, an HSE spokesperson said: "There is no maximum workplace temperature because every workplace is different.

"Responsibility to make workplaces safe and healthy lies with employers. Workplace temperature is a hazard that comes with legal obligations for employers like other hazards."