Health@Work offers essential guidance on keeping cool whilst at work, as Liverpool basks in sweltering sunshine.

As the city adjusted itself to the hottest day of the year yesterday, thousands of commuters would have been uncomfortably contemplating a day stuck in an office with the air-con on the blink and not a beer garden in site. Though we all would love to have been basking in a rare heatwave on a beach or in the garden, we instead had to make do with sitting at our desks and fighting over the office’s one remaining fan.

Though attending work in flip flops and sticking your head under the water cooler all day may not be practical solutions to overcoming the searing temperature, Health@Work have issued sage advice for combatting these stuffy days in the office.

Here are their top five tips for coping with the heat when in work, as we (hopefully) gear up for a few more days of sun:

1. Get out and move as much as possible

Go on a walking lunch, have a walking meeting, have your breaks sat outside instead of in the canteen or staff room, and take in the rays. Make sure you slather on the correct protective sun cream with the right high factor for you, slap on a hat and seek shade during the sun’s hottest point (11am – 3pm). If your job requires you to work outside (lucky you) make sure you have plenty of rest in the shade and are wearing high factor sun-block. Ears and lips are the area’s most likely to be at skin-cancer risk so make sure you don’t forget them when slapping on the sun cream.

2. Drink, drink, drink

Whilst many of you will be thinking this means a beer or cocktail, we’re actually talking about that fantastic tipple called H2O. Make sure you keep yourself hydrated with at least two litres of water per day and if you’re in charge of the water cooler in your office, make sure it’s topped up. Again, if you’re an outdoor worker you will probably find you really need to keep those water levels topped up.

3. Substance over style

We know work wear isn’t the best at times, but if you’re not restricted to a dress code or uniform try wearing lighter, loose fitting clothes during warmer weather and also cover up more. Most people who live in warmer climates often cover themselves from head to toe in light clothing to protect their skin from the sun.

4. Plan ahead

It is very rare that we get hot weather in the UK, but it is important to plan ahead. Check weather forecasts each morning and prepare yourself for the day ahead. If anything this will help you mentally prepare for the heat. If you have children who are heading off to nursery, school or a summer holiday play scheme for the day, you might want to think about applying an initial layer of sun cream in the morning before you drop them off. Make sure they have hats, sunglasses, lip protection and additional fluids.

5. Stick on the air con

It’s quite simple really, if your office or place of work has air conditioning then bang it on. Don’t waste any time in doing this, it will save you from a day of unbearable heat and sickly sweat patches. If you don’t have air con then try using a conventional fan with some cold water or ice in front of it.

Health@Work provides a range of workplace health and wellbeing programmes and services. Their flagship Workplace Wellbeing Charter is currently being rolled out across the country and has helped organisations including; Jaguar Land Rover, Trinity Mirror NW, Arriva, Liverpool City Council and NHS England. For more information call 0151 236 6608 or visit www.healthatworkcentre.org.uk