H&S FAQs
- What Are The Weight Lifting Limits For Males And Females?
- What Are The Maximum And Minimum Temperatures For Working?
- What Rest Breaks Am I Entitled To?
1. What Are The Weight Lifting Limits For Males And Females?
There are no legally binding weight limits. However Regulation 4(1) of the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 sets safety standards for manual handling.
Your employer must:
- avoid the need for manual handling as far as is reasonably practicable;
- where that is not possible, assess the risk of injury to employees; and
- reduce the risk of injury from manual handling as far as is reasonably practicable.
For full details, visit the members and reps area.
2. What Are The Maximum And Minimum Temperatures For Working?
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 (Regulation 7) require employers to ensure that the temperature in all workplaces during working hours is ‘reasonable’.
There is no legal definition for a maximum or minimum temperature. However, the Workplace Regulations Approved Code of Practice states that the minimum temperature should normally be 16 degrees Celsius. Where work is of a physical nature 13 degrees Celsius is allowed. There is no recommended maximum temperature.
Where temperatures are likely to be high, employers should take ‘all reasonable steps’ to achieve a reasonably comfortable temperature.
For full details, visit the members and reps area.
3. What Rest Breaks Am I Entitled To?
The Working Time Regulations 1998 provide statutory rights to a rest break for most workers in Britain. The Regulations entitle you to:
- A 20 minute rest break for every 6 hours worked
- 11 consecutive hours of rest per 24 hour period
- One day off each week (This day off should be taken with the 11 hours referred to above meaning that you are entitled to at least 35 consecutive hours off work once a week)
Young Workers
Different rules apply to young workers. If a young worker (i.e. 16 to 17 year old) is required to work for more than four and a half hours at a stretch, he or she is entitled to a rest break of 30 minutes.
For full details, visit the members and reps area.