Reynauds at Work

[Cat8282]

I really need some advice as I’m a bit stuck with this one. My reynauds is getting a lot more worse than it use to be. Where I work, the heating is broken and one of my main roles is standing on the shop floor where the doors are. I get cold very quickly and it becomes quite painful and hard to deal with. I layer up and put on multiple jumpers plus uniform as well as leggings/tights and thermal socks. I’m part of a company that owns another company which means there is a possibility of moving over to there if i can. Do i carry on where I work or do I ask to be transferred as working in the facility that doesn’t have heating and my role is now proving difficult?

[Bananas2007]

Can you ask them when the heat will be fixed? I work in an unheated warehouse but our upper floors have heat. I will go up there to get warm for 10 to 20 minutes periodically. My boss knows.

[lowicklady55 in reply to Bananas2007]

I also work in retail on checkouts. Management shut the warmer tills, where I used to sit and now only have 6 tills open near to the freezers. I actually went occupational health because I feel physically sick after about an hour . They just don't care about it. I even had a go at the section leader for putting me on one the other day. I said to her is my occ health letter upstairs in my file still valid?! She hadn't a clue! I hope you get sorted. I have 5 layers on and thermal leggings. I also have thermal mittens, Fortuna, takes about an hour if it's really cold for them to come back from purple to pink. Looking for something closer to home in the new year, 26 mile round trip, I don't even get travelling expenses. Costing a fortune 200 a month at present.

[Cat8282 in reply to Bananas2007]

We’ve been told that the Heating won’t be done till July 2023!

[Bananas2007 in reply to Cat8282]

Oh goodness. Can you talk to your H.R. department privately? That way, there's a record and it'll protect you from being singled out.

[Craftyflower]

In theory you should be able to approach the manager and ask to change to a different role in the store, but having worked in retail in the past, I know that it can often lead to you being singled out and seen as a trouble maker and it makes things very uncomfortable. I hope it's not the case with you.

If there's an option of moving to a different job i'd go for that. I was working in a store with a terrible heating system and often stood near the door or had to work around the freezers, I put extra layers, gloves and wrist warmers, but it was my feet that really suffered because of not being able to move around to keep the circulation going, I got terrible chilblains and my feet swelled up so much I couldn't get my shoes on.

I hope you can find a way to help soon. Good luck.

[Cat8282 in reply to Craftyflower]

Thank you for the advice! Due to where I work it’s hard to try and find other things to do such as tills as we do not have a constant flow of customers to use the tills so therefore we’re told to only go to the tills when needed. Honestly the amount of layers I have to put on is unreal and nobody should have to do that ever. Even customers have started coming in and saying how cold it is in store!

[trunchalobesity]

your employer needs to make reasonable adjustments. Do you have a staff rep or H&S rep?

[Babette]

I suppose the question is if you stay in your current job, what do you want them to do?

Regulation "suggests" minumum working temperatures: hse.gov.uk/temperature/empl...

And companies must make "reasonable adjustments" for workers with long term disabilities: gov.uk/reasonable-adjustmen...

From experience, most managers aren't even aware of the equalities act and the moment you mention it, get HR involved.

[Lucky747]

I think all the things the others said are good points! The most important thing is you and your health. I also think push a little bit more to advocate for that and document everything in a book (dates/times/whi you spoke with, etc) about your concerns and what was said can/will be done to assist you with your health issues, Owners and managers do have obligations to accommodate health issues. I think you are doing all you can on your end, they also have a responsibility as an employer to accommodate your needs as well. Please keep us posted and I hope you get some assistance❤️

[Midori]

Do you have a Health and Safety Rep? if so, see him and bring it to his attention.

There are legal lower limits on working in the cold, and the Company may be breaking UK Law. If so you are entitled to walk out until it is fixed. Also, if there is a Union, please join it, it can help you as well.

Cheers, Midori

[StormySky]

From my personal experience of my workplace and tasks causing my health condition to worsen my advice would be change job. It's not worth asking for adjustments - it will just cause more problems and they will find a way to get rid of you.