The temperature regime in the restoration room should be. Temperature standards in the workplace

A well-maintained workplace is the key to high employee productivity. Of course, comfort is a broad concept, often depending on the direction of a person’s work. Sanitary standards and regulations for manufacturing plants and office premises vary. However, both the first and second are established by SanPiN 2.24.54896 entitled “Hygienic standards for microclimate in production”.

Since the beginning of 2017, new sanitary and hygienic requirements for production premises have come into force. They were approved by the Chief State Sanitary Doctor by his Resolution No. 81 on June 21 last year. The updated SanPiN standards put forward requirements for:

• Microclimate;
• Noise and vibration levels;
• Exposure to electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields.

These norms are marginally possible indicators of factors. Compliance with the requirements for production premises can protect employees who are at the workplace eight hours a day (forty hours a week) from the development of pathologies or occupational diseases associated with the specific performance of work duties.

The introduction of new hygienic requirements for the microclimate of industrial premises cancels the previously approved standards. For example, SanPiN 2.2.41191-03 regarding the effects of electromagnetic fields.

The most important issues regulated by SanPiNs are temperature and microclimate in the workplace of office employees.

Temperature in the office

Maintaining normal temperature is an important condition for the normal functioning of the company. Not only the health of workers, but also their labor productivity, as well as the normal functioning of the entire enterprise, depends on the temperature in the office.

Temperature standards are regulated by SanPin 2.2.4 548 96. The fifth and sixth sections of the Rules are devoted to optimization and temperature limits depending on the season (warm or cold).

Office workers whose work can be classified as intellectual, characterized by a low level of physical activity, as well as a sedentary position, are included in category Ia by the Labor Code and SanPin. For this category of employees, a temperature of twenty-three to twenty-five degrees (in summer) and twenty-two to twenty-four degrees (in winter) must be provided.

If the room temperature does not meet the specified standards, employees have the right to demand that the employer reduce the duration of work shifts.

If the temperature exceeds plus twenty-nine, labor time is reduced to three to six hours (in accordance with the functions performed). If the temperature in the office exceeds thirty-two degrees, working for more than one hour is prohibited.

There are indicators for the cold season. At temperatures below nineteen degrees, the shift duration is reduced by an hour. At temperatures below thirteen degrees Celsius, the working day cannot exceed one hour.

The work of an organization whose management constantly violates the temperature conditions of the premises can be temporarily stopped for a period of up to three months.

Requirements for the microclimate in the office

Sanitary rules include requirements not only for temperature conditions, but also for air quality in the office. Therefore, the ventilation equipment of an organization is one of the significant criteria for the comfort of workplaces.

Office service requires workers to remain in the building for a long time. Each employee has his own preferences and needs to improve productivity. Some prefer coolness, others are afraid of drafts and air conditioning.

To create a comfortable office microclimate, a set of measures is required to meet the standards:

• Temperature conditions;
• Air humidity level;
• Ventilation of air flows;
• Air circulation speeds;
• The presence of foreign particles (dust) in the air.

These standards are provided for by SanPin, as well as GOST 30494 96 regarding the microclimate parameters of residential and non-residential premises. A comfortable office microclimate in the warm season includes:

• Temperature range between twenty-two and twenty-five degrees;
• Air humidity thirty to sixty percent;
• The air flow speed is not higher than 0.25 meters per second.

For the cold season, the indicators change:

• Temperatures range from twenty to twenty-two degrees;
• Air humidity - from thirty to forty-five percent;
• Air movement is 0.1 - 0.15 meters per second.

Acceptable temperature differences are one to two degrees.

Moisture level is a necessary component of comfortable work for office workers. What humidity should be directly depends on the temperature conditions of the room. High humidity at normal temperatures does not have a negative effect on the human body. And dry warm air can cause diseases of the mucous membranes and upper respiratory tract.

Light level

Office lighting is an important component that employers should not forget about. Low light levels lead to rapid eye fatigue and also reduce a person’s overall performance.

SanPin sets lighting standards for an average office containing computers at five hundred lux. Acceptable indoor lighting values ​​range from two hundred to three hundred lux.

What to do if there is not enough light? It will be necessary to install an additional light source at each workplace. When choosing light bulbs, preference should be given to energy-saving ones with “cool” white light. Such lamps do not heat up, which is important for the summer period.

Noise level

Background noise affects the productivity of office workers. The upper limit of the norm for such noise should not exceed fifty-five dB. Old computers, lamps, and conversations on the street produce noise.

New office equipment, metal-plastic windows, and sound-proof partitions can cope with the problem of extraneous noise.

Employer's liability

Providing comfortable conditions in the workplace is the responsibility of the employer, and not a gesture of his good will. Only by creating proper working conditions, the employer has the right to require employees to work according to the schedule. This rule is enshrined in Article 163 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation. If the norms stipulated by sanitary rules are violated, the employer takes immediate measures to eliminate them.

An employee has the right to apply to the State Labor Inspectorate for the protection of his rights.

The sanitary and epidemiological service can inspect the enterprise upon a complaint from any worker. If violations are detected, a fine is imposed (from ten to twenty thousand rubles).

According to the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, the employer must provide his subordinates not only with safety, but also with conditions under which labor safety standards are observed. In particular, temperature standards in the workplace adopted at the state level. Articles 209 and 212 of the Labor Code regulate the requirements for activities that create appropriate sanitary and hygienic conditions.

What does the law say?

It should be especially highlighted which relate to humidity and temperature of industrial and office premises. All necessary figures are contained in SanPiN 2.2.4.548962. This is the main document, according to which normal working conditions must be ensured, in particular, humidity conditions, temperature standards in the room and other important factors.

Increased ambient air temperature can be considered one of the most powerful factors inhibiting performance. The mentioned sanitary standards stipulate that the room temperature in summer should not be higher than 25 °C. Relative humidity does not have the right to fall below 40%. It is with these values ​​that the necessary thermal comfort can be ensured throughout the entire working day or shift.

Compliance with these conditions does not lead to deviations in the well-being of workers and creates the necessary conditions for normal work. Ensuring an optimal microclimate in production premises necessarily requires the employer to equip the workshop or office with heating, as well as ventilation and air conditioning systems.

Don't break the law!

The absence or malfunction of any of the listed systems leads to an unacceptable temperature rise and poses a threat to the health of workers. This in itself is a violation of the law.

In this case, employees are divided into categories. For example, sanitary standards for office employees are classified as Category A. If the temperature in the workplace exceeds certain numbers, they have the right to have their working hours reduced for periods that will be described below.

The required microclimate indicators are given in section seven of SanPiN. Temperatures in the workplace that do not meet standards may result in a legal reduction in working hours. In this case, the employer is required to organize a commission whose task is to measure it in the premises.

What then?

The results of such an examination are documented in a protocol. It presents the data obtained and compares it with the normative ones. The working day is shortened on the basis of an order in accordance with the requirements given in SanPiN. The document must contain a link to the protocol with temperature measurement data.

This is done to protect employees from possible health damage due to cooling or overheating. It should be taken into account that, from a legal point of view, it is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of time spent at one’s workplace and the duration of a shift or working day.

As the mentioned SanPiN states, the temperature in the workplace must be such that the presence of people in production conditions is brought into compliance with hygienic requirements. In doing so, they rely on Article 212 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation.

What can you do

As ways to solve this problem, one should consider additional breaks, earlier leaving of employees at home, transferring them to other workplaces, and equipping special rest rooms.

If the employer refuses to comply with these requirements, he can be charged with two offenses simultaneously. We are talking, firstly, about violation of sanitary rules (temperature standards in production do not correspond to standard indicators). Secondly, labor legislation is directly ignored, since people work in conditions that are not suitable for this.

If the employer fails to act in this situation and refuses to provide employees with other work in unfavorable conditions, the duration is equivalent to a daily working day (shift). That is, we can talk about overtime for employees at the initiative of the employer with all the ensuing legal and financial consequences.

How to take care of yourself

What can ordinary employees do to normalize the situation in ensuring their own rights to safe and comfortable working conditions? In cases where temperature standards in the workplace are not observed, they are advised to file complaints simultaneously with the bodies of Rospotrebnadzor and the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. In such cases, a fine is imposed on legal entities, the amount of which is on the same level as the costs required to equip workplaces with fans and air conditioners.

As you know, our people are used to working in any conditions. It is sometimes surprising to what extent workplace norms can be violated. People have to work, chattering their teeth from the cold or literally suffocating due to the unbearable heat. This also applies to knowledge workers who spend their days in a “civilized” office. The labor process in such unsuitable conditions has become so commonplace that people no longer even think about violating their legal rights.

Temperature standards in the workplace

Of course, both jobs and activities can vary greatly. A bank employee is in one set of conditions, a loader or crane operator is in completely different conditions. Standards have been developed for each individual profession in this regard.

Any type of work belongs to one of the existing categories, for which the necessary microclimatic conditions and permissible temperature range are prescribed. Unfortunately, it is unrealistic to consider all of them in one article. Therefore, we will focus on the working conditions of office workers.

What should we know?

Perhaps for some this information will be heard for the first time. Do you know that if you are forced to work at a temperature that does not meet established standards, then you have every right to reduce your working hours?

Probably, many, after reading these lines, will only grin. Anyone in our country knows what it is like to seek the rule of law and justice, including in the workplace. But nevertheless, possession of this information will allow, in the necessary cases, to “download your rights”, achieving the opportunity to ask to go home early or even raise the issue of paying overtime to the employer if it is impossible to force him to comply with temperature standards at the workplace in the office.

In any organization there will always be an active “backbone” of workers who will seek justice by writing complaints and putting all kinds of pressure on management. We hope this information will help them in this matter.

Let's arm ourselves with a thermometer

So, let's measure the temperature at our workplace. It should not be more than 23-25 ​​°C. We're talking about summer work. If it is winter outside, these numbers range from 22 to 24 °. In this case, the thermometer readings must be linked to air humidity, the permissible values ​​of which are from 40 to 60%.

Of course, the temperature may deviate from the required value by a certain acceptable amount, which is 1 or 2 degrees, but no more. Throughout the working day, the temperature change should not be more than 4 degrees.

If these conditions are met, you are required to work a full 8 hours in the office. If the temperature during the day reached 29 °C (that is, exceeded the maximum permissible by 4 °C), your demand to be allowed to leave work exactly an hour earlier would be completely legal.

In 30-degree heat, you have the right to work no more than 6 hours. If the thermometer exceeds 32.5 °C, theoretically you have the right to work for no more than an hour.

If it's cold outside

The situation is similar with work on cold winter days. If the thermometer shows only 19 degrees Celsius, the duration of the working day is 7 hours, at 18 degrees - 6. In this case, an accurate temperature measurement is made at a height of about a meter from the floor.

The question is: will such scrupulous measurements, coupled with the requirements for the employer to strictly comply with the rules and regulations, bring practical benefit? The fact is that it will most likely be more profitable for the latter to spend money once on installing an air conditioner or heater instead of regularly paying fines for violations with the attendant hassle.

Therefore, if you value your own health, do not be afraid of your superiors. Your goal is to ensure that they are respected. If you have the information contained in the legislative documents designed to protect the ordinary employee, and show the proper persistence, it is quite possible to achieve justice.

Summertime is always a difficult time to work. Situations often arise when the room temperature exceeds the permissible limit, turning work into severe torture (and even breaks in the middle of the day help little). For employees, the question becomes relevant whether there are any legal requirements on temperature standards during working hours in the heat.

To resolve this issue, you must contact Article 212 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation . In one of the provisions, it prescribes the employer’s obligation to provide comfortable working conditions for each employee. Based on this legal provision, a regulation was developed regarding working hours in hot weather SanPiN 2.2.4.548-96 .

Reduced working hours due to heat

According to established standards for office employees, the maximum permissible indoor temperature in summer should be 28 degrees. The more the actual reading exceeds this standard, the less employees should work.

Order to reduce working hours due to heat

An order to change working hours due to heat is an integral document on the basis of which the schedule is re-issued. This act is drawn up by the employer indicating the reason for the innovations. Experts, however, differ on how to indicate the reasons for changes.

A reduction in working hours due to heat can be documented as downtime either due to the fault of the employer, or due to objective circumstances beyond the control of the parties. The first case is relevant in situations where the organization does not provide adequate conditions for working on the premises. However, on the other hand, it is not always possible to provide for increased temperature conditions. As a result, the decision about the reason for such downtime rests with the employer. In both cases, according to Article 157 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation the company is obliged to pay two-thirds of the wages.

It is possible to issue an order indicating objective circumstances and appropriate remuneration. In this case, its size decreases in proportion to the reduction in working hours.

How to reduce working hours in hot weather - drawing up an order

An order to reduce working hours due to heat is drawn up according to the basic rules for processing documents. That is, it is similar to those regulations that relate to the issues of reducing work time due to heat.

The main provisions of this document should include:

• establishing a new time, indicating breaks for lunch and rest;
• an instruction on the need for all department heads to familiarize their subordinates with this order;
• providing employees with the opportunity to take unpaid leave;
• appointment of responsible persons who must monitor the implementation of regulations.

This document is signed by both the manager and the designated responsible person. It may include additional requirements at the initiative of the employer. For example, the validity period of this resolution, or the provision of means of protection from heat.

In accordance with labor legislation, the employer is obliged to ensure safe working conditions as much as possible. This means that the level of exposure to harmful factors should not exceed the standards established by law. One of the legal requirements is to ensure normal temperature in the work area.

Temperature standards in the working area

Physical exposure factors in the workplace should not deviate from established standards. SanPiN defines the following options for impact on workers:

• thermal and sound factors;
• vibration vibrations;
• electric, magnetic fields, etc.

The indicators are compiled in such a way that harmful effects cannot lead to injury or illness to the employee. The temperature regime at the workplace is established by SanPiN 2.2.4.3359.-16. It includes:

• temperature in the workplace and surfaces;
• air humidity indicators;
• air flow speed.

The standards are set for the warm and cold seasons. If the outside temperature is above +10, then you should focus on the indicators provided for the warm season. The standards also differ depending on the work performed. This is due to the fact that some employees spend all day in the office, others perform work in production facilities, etc.

Permissible temperature for office space:

What should an employee do if the temperature regime is not maintained?

If the temperature regime in the workplace is not observed, the employee has the right to:

• Contact your superiors with a demand to normalize the indicators. For minor fluctuations, you can use a heater or fan. A more expensive option is to install an air conditioner.
• Demand a reduction in working hours.

According to the law, the room temperature should not exceed:

• 28 degrees for an 8-hour day;
• 30 degrees – for 5 hours of operation;
• 31 degrees – for 3 hours;
• 32 degrees – for a two-hour working day;
• 32.5 – for 1 hour of work.

Indicators above established standards are considered dangerous to human health and life.

Norm for the cold season: 20 ºС – eight-hour working day. When the temperature drops by 1 degree, the working day is shortened by 1 hour.

You can also file a complaint with the Labor Inspectorate. To do this, you need to go to the website of the State Labor Inspectorate of your region and select the section dedicated to citizens’ appeals. It contains information on how to make a complaint or get advice.

Features of temperature measurements in the workplace

Measurements are taken when the outside temperature is not higher than -5 degrees (in cold times), in warm times - not lower than +15 ºС. In order to control the microclimate at workplaces, verification measurements are carried out once a year.

The assessment is made based on an average indicator consisting of three measurements, which should not exceed the boundaries of established standards. If a complaint is received about the temperature in the workroom, measurements are taken regardless of the external temperature at least 3 times a day (morning, lunch and evening):

• When performing sedentary work, measurements are taken at 10 cm and 1 meter from the floor.
• When performing standing work - 10 cm and 160 cm from the floor.
• Humidity is measured at 100 and 160 cm, respectively.
• The intensity of thermal radiation is set at 0.5, 1 and 1.5 m with an error of 0.05 m.

Important: measurements are taken at the workplace. If an employee works in several places, then measurements are taken at each of them.

Fine for failure to comply with temperature standards in the work area

In accordance with Art. 5.27.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, in case of violation of standards ensuring safe working conditions, the following types of punishments are provided:

• warning;
• penalties in relation to:
  • responsible persons - from 2 to 5 thousand rubles;
  • Individual entrepreneur – from 2 to 5 thousand rubles;
  • enterprises - 50-80 thousand rubles.

If violations are repeatedly detected, tougher penalties are provided:

• The fine against the responsible person and individual entrepreneur is 30-40 thousand rubles or:
  • for an official - disqualification for a period of 1 to 3 years;
  • for individual entrepreneurs - deprivation of the opportunity to engage in entrepreneurial activity for up to 90 days.
• Monetary recovery from the organization in the amount of 100 to 300 thousand rubles or temporary suspension of work for a period of no more than 3 months.

Thus, the air temperature in the workplace should not deviate from the established standards. The obligation to comply with labor safety standards rests with the employer. In case of failure to comply with the requirements of the law, the following types of penalties are provided: warning, fine or temporary suspension of activities.

It's no secret that unfavorable temperature conditions indoors or outdoors reduce the performance of employees, regardless of whether it is low or high. In order to comply with sanitary and epidemiological standards and carry out labor protection measures, the legislation provides for certain measures that make it possible to facilitate the work activities of employees and reduce the risk of a threat to the life and health of the population. In the article we will look at how long you can work in the heat in the office or on the street in accordance with labor legislation and what responsibility the employer has in this case.

Labor legislation on working in hot weather

Today, the most significant document in the field of labor protection at elevated temperatures is SanPiN 2.2.4.548-96, which contains important and relevant information on hygienic requirements for microclimatic conditions in production premises. It contains data on which temperature regime is favorable for labor activity, and which is acceptable, at which the production process can be carried out as before, if there is no way to achieve the optimal regime.

According to the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, the employer must provide all its employees with normal working conditions that will fully comply with norms and standards in the field of labor protection.

Optimal and permissible temperature conditions for operation

According to SanPiN 2.2.4.548-96, the temperature regime in the premises can be divided into two types:

It is necessary to understand that the extreme values ​​of the permissible temperature regime do not affect changes in the working regime only if the production process requires it. There are certain conditions and circumstances under which the duration and mode of the working day cannot be changed, and this point is associated with the following factors:

• the technological requirements for performing operations are such that the processes must be carried out at extreme values ​​of the permissible temperature regime;
• the economic justification is related to the inexpediency of changing the working hours due to changes in temperature and microclimate of the premises.

It should be taken into account that each position in the company has its own permissible temperature regime, depending on what specific functional responsibilities are assigned to the employee. The indicators indicated in the table are acceptable for office employees who spend most of their time in a sedentary state. However, if we take into account production workers who perform heavy physical labor, then for them the boundaries of the permissible temperature regime are somewhat narrowed.

If an employee works under acceptable temperature conditions, this does not cause acute changes in the human body, but it does cause him some discomfort. In this case, there is an increase in body temperature, deterioration in well-being, disruption of the thermoregulation process and, as a result, a decrease in human performance. In a situation where the temperature reaches a limit and becomes excessive, management must take certain actions aimed at improving working conditions - either installing air conditioning systems, or reducing working hours, or compensation for harmful conditions of the production process.

In the case when the temperature regime is outside the acceptable level for a fairly short time, that is, within a few hours the microclimate is normalized to an acceptable level, the length of the working day does not change.

Changing operating mode in hot weather

If the temperature exceeds the permissible level, the employer has the right and obligation to reduce working hours depending on how much the temperature exceeds the permissible values. In this case, a special order is created for the enterprise, which indicates which positions will have their working hours reduced and by how much. This document is based on temperature measurements carried out by a commission specially created for these purposes. She draws up a protocol that clearly indicates all changes in temperature over time, and on the basis of such a protocol, an order is issued from the manager to change the operating mode at the enterprise.

By the way, the reduction may be different for different categories of employees, and this point depends on what specific functional duties a particular employee performs. So, all positions can be divided into 3 groups:

1. category Ia-Ib. This group assumes low energy consumption up to 174 W and covers employees who perform their work while sitting with little physical strain or small movements;

1. category IIa-IIb. This group includes employees with energy consumption from 175 to 290 W, who perform their work while constantly moving, carrying small objects with an average level of physical stress;

1. category III. This group includes employees who produce energy expenditures of 291 W or more, perform work using significant physical effort with constant movement and carrying heavy bulky objects or performing complex production operations.

Rospotrebnadzor, as one of the regulatory bodies in the field of labor protection, has developed appropriate recommendations for working in the hot season, when the thermometer rises to a fairly high level. They concern both the direct employer and employees forced to work in difficult temperature conditions. As for the first, the employer, in accordance with the adopted legislation, is obliged to provide acceptable working conditions for its employees or reduce working hours in accordance with changes in the microclimate in the premises. According to the second point, employees are also required to independently take measures to preserve life and health during the hot season. These include:

• the working period should be divided into temporary breaks, and their number directly depends on the ambient temperature outside or the microclimate in the room;
• it is necessary to transfer work outdoors to the morning or evening hours, until the temperature reaches its maximum;
• during the hot season, employees aged from 25 to 40 years are allowed to work;
• you should use special clothing made of thick fabric to protect against excessive thermal radiation;
• organize a competent drinking regimen, consisting of drinking low-temperature water - approximately 15 0 C, as well as consuming salted or alkaline water in order to replenish the mineral salt reserve and microelements in the body;
• eating more fruits and vegetables.

Working in hot weather indoors or outdoors

Work in an office building or outdoors at elevated temperatures must be carried out within the time period established by law. The normal working day is established when the temperature is within the following limits:

More information about working conditions related to labor protection can be found in SanPiN 2.2.4.548-96, which, in addition to the temperature regime, also indicates other environmental indicators, including relative air humidity, the intensity of thermal radiation from devices and equipment, speed air movement. These characteristics should also be given increased attention, since they directly affect people’s well-being, their health and performance.

Responsibility for ignoring the norms of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation

The employer, represented by the immediate supervisor, heads of departments or a labor protection specialist, is responsible for creating comfortable conditions for performing job duties. In addition, the workers themselves must ensure that they have acceptable working conditions, and if any violations are detected, contact a labor protection specialist or immediate supervisor (see →).

When such a message is received, the employer is obliged to measure the temperature indoors or outdoors, recording its changes over time. If it detects a significant increase in temperature, it can use several options:

1. install an air conditioning and ventilation system;
2. transfer employees to workplaces with optimal or acceptable temperature conditions;
3. take frequent breaks during the working day;
4. reduce working time depending on the thermometer readings.

If the employer does not use any of the proposed solutions to the problem, the labor inspectorate has the right to hold him accountable, since he violates the norms of labor and sanitary-epidemiological legislation. In this case, regulatory authorities have the right to:

In addition, Rospotrebnadzor has the right to bring the employer to administrative responsibility, that is, to initiate an administrative case against him. This action is possible provided that the fact of a threat to the life and health of employees working at the enterprise is reliably established.

4 interesting questions about working in the hot season

Question No. 1. If the employer has not responded in any way to a message that the temperature is outside the acceptable level, is it possible to suspend work?

According to the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, if such a situation arises, the employee has every right to refuse to perform his job duties. In this case, he must notify his employer about this in writing. Such behavior should not be considered a disciplinary offense, and there should be no reprimand from the employer for it.

Question No. 2. What document must be drawn up for an employee to refuse to perform job duties when the temperature is unacceptable?

If such a negative situation occurs, the employee is obliged to provide the employer with a notice indicating the reason for the suspension of the production process, as well as a report on the identification of violations of labor protection requirements. In this case, the documents must be drawn up in two copies, one of which, signed by the accepting employee, remains in the employee’s hands.

Question No. 3. If documents are not accepted or accepted, but no action is taken on them, or an employee is given absenteeism, where can one turn for help in resolving a conflict situation?

In this case, it makes sense to contact the labor inspectorate, whose employees must necessarily respond to the established fact of the offense. In addition, it would be useful to contact the Trade Union, whose main goal is to protect the interests of working people.

Question No. 4. If an employee was fired for absenteeism, which was not absenteeism, but a forced cessation of work due to high temperature, where can one turn?

If such a situation arises, it is necessary to contact the labor inspectorate, Rospotrebnadzor, and, if necessary, file a lawsuit to consider the case of unlawful dismissal of the employee.