Background information

On 15 May 2023, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU OSHA) published a guide providing practical guidance on managing the risks of working in high temperatures and what to do if a worker starts to suffer from a heat-related illness. The material is aimed at both employers and employees, and covers organisational as well as technical measures to reduce and manage heat-related risks; employees training is covered too. Additionally, it provides advice on actions to take if an employee shows signs of heat-related illness. It is part of an effort to prepare for coping with the effects of climate change. The agency estimates that the increase in average ambient temperature expected with climate change could have a significant impact on workplaces.

Content of measure

The agency's guide emphasizes that all workers have the right to an environment where risks to their health and safety are adequately controlled, and that workplace temperature is one of the risks that employers should assess, regardless of whether the work is carried out in outdoors or indoors (work in heat-intensive industries or carry out physical work) because workers in nearly every sector can be affected by increasing ambient temperatures, resulting in heat stress. The guidelines set out the following employers' obligations towards employees:

• Carrying out risk assessments in the workplace and protect vulnerable workers.
• Consulting with workers and their representatives on how to manage risks related to high temperatures.
• Adjusting working hours and allowing employees to decide on breaks.
• Ensuring that workers have a supply of drinking water, access to a shaded area and protective clothing.
• Providing training in dealing with heat stress, in particular for vulnerable employees.

Use of measure

Not applicable, being guidelines.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Applies to all workers	Applies to all businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
Trade unions Company / Companies	Companies Employer

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Informed	Informed
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

Social partners representatives participating in the work of the EU OSHA management board were informed about the work on the guide. The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), although not directly involved in the preparation of the guide, has for a long time called on the EU institutions to take concrete action regarding heat at work.

Views and reactions

The ETUC welcomed the publication of the guide, pointing out that it was the result of pressure from trade unions. The reaction of employers is unknown.

Sources

• 15 May 2023: Heat at work – EU Guidance for workplaces (osha.europa.eu)
• 15 May 2023: Schmit tells bosses: Protect workers from extreme heat (etuc.org)