Too hot to work? What the labour laws in these EU countries say about working in a heatwave

euronews.com:

As Britain braces itself for the hottest temperatures ever recorded, the initial widespread enthusiasm for the unusual summer heat has given way to concerns over the impact it could have on a country almost completely unprepared for such hot weather.

In the face of the country’s first red extreme heat warning, a British workers’ union, GMB, has called for a “too hot to work” law to be passed as soon as possible to protect labourers from being forced to work under scorching, dangerously unhealthy temperatures.

Their appeal has raised the question: when is it too hot to work, and why don’t we have more rules about it?

In the UK, there is no regulation defining how hot a workplace has to be before a worker can justifiably ask to be sent home (and douse themselves in an ice bath).

Health and safety guidelines require the workplace to be “comfortable”, but only excessive cold is defined, stating temperatures shouldn’t fall below 16 degrees Celsius in an office environment, or 13 degrees if the work is physically demanding.

There’s no mention of an upper limit, which was probably not considered necessary a few decades ago, but which is now a burning issue.

Surprisingly, countries that are much more used to high temperatures are not much better prepared.

At the European Union level, there is no common rule defining the maximum temperature permitted in the workplace. But some countries have implemented their own.

In France, the “Code du Travail” - dictating the country’s labour laws - does not determine a maximum workplace temperature, but it does require employers to make sure their workers are able to do their job under safe conditions - which could arguably include protecting them from the risks posed by extreme heat.

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