At what temperature can you refuse to work?

News / At what temperature can you refuse to work?

Employers are obliged to guarantee their employees decent working conditions, particularly in hot weather.

This question can arise at any time of year, especially in factory workshops where machines and protective clothing can cause temperatures to rise very quickly.

At what temperature can you refuse to work? FoxAir explains what the law says and presents the advantages of industrial air coolers for air conditioning your premises.

Temperature at work and the right to withdraw: what does the law say?

In practice, the French Labor Code does not specify a precise temperature limit above which employees can exercise their right of withdrawal.

Nevertheless, if employees feel that working conditions are untenable, they are entitled to refer the matter to the delegation of the CSE (Comité Social et Économique), which since January 1, 2020 has taken over the occupational health and safety missions previously carried out by the CHSCT. The CSE assesses the risks associated with workplace accidents and occupational illnesses, and can refer complaints to the Labour Inspectorate.

Article L4121-1 of the French Labor Code also clearly states that, if the employer has not taken the necessary measures to deal with the situation, the employee is entitled to exercise his right to withdraw from work due to heat:

or in the presence of symptoms of a serious pathology (headaches, unusual weakness, dizziness, malaise, disorientation, etc.).
or if he has “reasonable cause to believe that the work situation presents a serious and imminent danger to his life or health”.

Effective air conditioning is therefore essential. It’s also worth remembering that, according to the French Labor Code, employers are obliged to ensure and protect workers’ physical and mental health.

Cool your premises with the FoxAir industrial range

Using a mobile air cooler is a very practical way of ensuring the thermal comfort of your employees without incurring installation costs that can prove costly.

FoxAir industrial coolers are ideally suited to dealing with the temperature problem in the workplace: they lower the ambient temperature and increase the humidity level.

This reduces the risk of heat stroke and dehydration. Their castors enable them to be positioned where you need them most, when you need them (near workstations, machines).

Our range includes models capable of cooling anywhere from 90 to several hundred square meters.

When you use our services, you benefit from tailor-made advice: we find the solution best suited to your premises and their configuration.

For example, we equipped a centrifuge manufacturing plant where temperatures are very high and workers wear PPE suits with gloves and masks. We equipped them in such a way as to offer employees greater comfort despite their clothing.

Our air coolers are available for both sale and rental.

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