With another heatwave upon us, we have seen many dental nurses online sharing the same worry: their surgery is sweltering, there is no air conditioning, and they are not sure what their rights are. It is a fair question and a surprisingly confusing one. So we have pulled together what the law actually says and some practical steps to look after yourself throughout this period.

Dentistry has a particular problem with heat. Full PPE is against the body and stops you from cooling down naturally. Add equipment, bright lights, small rooms, and back-to-back appointments, and a dental surgery can feel far hotter than the thermometer on the wall suggests.

What the law says

Here is the part that catches most people out: there is no legal maximum temperature for a workplace in the UK. There is no figure at which the law says you can stop work. This policy is deliberate, because some workplaces are hot by their nature, and a single blanket cap would be unworkable across every industry.

That does not mean employers can do nothing. Under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, the indoor temperature must be reasonable, and the supporting approved code of practice states that the workplace should provide reasonable comfort without the need for special clothing. There is a legal minimum of 16°C (or 13°C for physically demanding work), but no maximum.

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, your employer has a legal duty to assess the risks, and that includes thermal comfort and heat stress. HSE guidance is clear that where a significant number of staff are complaining of being too hot, the employer should act. So while there is no magic number, there is a real, enforceable duty to keep things reasonable and to do something when they are not.

Practical things you can do right now

A few simple, practical habits make a real difference.

• Watch your hydration and check the colour. The easiest way to know whether you are drinking enough is to look at your urine. Pale, straw-coloured urine means you are well hydrated. If your urine is dark or infrequent, you are dehydrated and need to drink more. It's not glamorous, but it's the most reliable home check, and it's worth getting the whole household into the habit during a heatwave. Sip water through the day rather than gulping a lot at once, and remember that in PPE you are losing more fluid than you realise.
• Know the difference between heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Heat exhaustion shows up as heavy sweating with pale, clammy skin; tiredness; dizziness; headache; feeling sick; cramps; and intense thirst. If you spot it, move to a cool place, loosen or remove unnecessary clothing, drink water or a rehydration drink, and cool the skin. Most people recover within 30 minutes. If they do not recover in that time, or the skin becomes hot and dry, the temperature is very high, or there is abnormal confusion, seizures, or loss of consciousness, that is heatstroke, which is a medical emergency. Call 999 straight away.

Raising it with your practice

If your surgery is uncomfortably hot, the best first step is simply to raise it. Most practices share your discomfort and will want to fix it once they know, so it's best to work together to solve the problem.

Ask if a thermal comfort risk assessment has been done and whether it takes account of staff working in full PPE, who feel the heat more than the room temperature alone suggests.

There are also plenty of simple measures that can make a real difference:

• fans and better ventilation
• more frequent breaks
• easy access to drinking water
• install blinds to reduce heat from the sun.
• Adjusting working patterns during the hottest part of the day can help ensure safety and comfort for everyone.

Heat is a health and safety matter like any other, and it is best tackled as a team, so everyone stays safe and comfortable through the summer.

This article is for general information and is not legal or medical advice. Always seek urgent help if you suspect heatstroke.

Resources

Workplace health, safety and welfare: Approved Code of Practice and guidance, L24 (HSE)

Temperature in the workplace: what the law says (HSE)

Managing workplace temperatures (HSE)

Thermal comfort (HSE)

Workplace temperatures (GOV.UK)

Heat exhaustion and heatstroke (NHS)