MP says constituents are worried by workplace heat

A Herefordshire MP has claimed her constituents are growing more concerned about the heat they have to work in, in the wake of the UK's record heatwave this summer.

The Green Party MP for North Herefordshire, Ellie Chowns, said parents had also "really expressed concern" to her about their children working during heatwaves.

"We've had dozens of schools just in Herefordshire that have had to close because of the extreme temperatures," she said. "We don't have the infrastructure, the buildings that are adapted to this."

It comes after fellow Green Party MP, Hannah Spencer, proposed legislation to introduce a maximum safe workplace temperatures, which could vary from sector to sector.

Chowns backed the bill by telling the House of Commons on Tuesday that a "climate crisis" was becoming "a health crisis".

Speaking to the BBC, she said a number of other counties had maximum working temperatures set.

"They've got these systems in place to ensure people are kept healthy at work," she said.

"In the UK, we have guidance on a minimum workplace temperature because in the past we did have to worry about that."

Spain, for example, has a maximum legal working temperature indoors of 27C for sedentary work and 25C for light physical work.

Health minister Sharon Hodgson has said the issue is being looked at.

"I can't recall in my time that we've had such discussion around this issue so obviously, going forward we will be looking at it in more detail," she said.

Chowns suggested fitting buildings with shading devices or by planting more trees in urban environments, and used Barcelona as an example.

She said: "We've got to change, we've got to adapt to [climate change]. We've got to keep doing everything we can to stop climate change, to put the brakes on and reduce our emissions.

"At the same time, we have to adapt so we are more resilient to these extremes."

She added that with three heatwaves in less than three months the UK needed to face up to the challenges of a changing climate.

"We're currently experiencing the coolest climate we're going to experience for the rest of our lives," Chowns said.

"It's only going one direction, and that is hotter and wetter. Those extremes are going to be more frequent and severe."

Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.