Heat Stress: EU Unions Demand Workplace Temperature Limits

Trades unions across Europe are advocating for new legislation to address the growing risks of workplace heat stress, a phenomenon exacerbated by climate change and linked to an estimated 230 annual deaths. This push includes demands for legally enforceable workplace thermal limits, utilizing the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) metric, and mandatory job site heat risk assessments. Unions are also seeking rights for heat breaks, access to shade and water, and adjusted working hours to be incorporated into forthcoming quality jobs legislation.

Currently, there is no uniform European regulation for workplace heat exposure, leading to a fragmented approach. The proposed measures aim to establish maximum WBGT levels, with work suspension required beyond these thresholds, and penalties for non-compliance. In the UK, similar demands are being made, including a maximum working temperature of 24C and the right to stop work at 30C (or 27C for strenuous tasks). These union-backed initiatives are gaining political traction as record-breaking heatwaves highlight the urgency of the issue.