Too hot to work – record temperatures as a growing challenge in the EU.

Whether outdoors or in offices, more and more employees in Europe are affected by heatwaves. Temperatures above 30 degrees make even measures such as sun protection, sufficient drinking, and regular breaks inadequate in many sectors – especially for outdoor work. Against this background, calls are growing within the European Union (EU) for stronger measures in occupational health and safety, urban planning, and public health.

Heat – not just a European problem

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) published a joint report in August highlighting the growing health risks from rising heat. Extreme temperatures not only reduce productivity but also cause serious health problems such as heatstroke, dehydration, and kidney damage. Around half of the world’s population is affected. Workers in agriculture, construction, and fishing, as well as vulnerable groups in developing countries, are particularly at risk.

The report calls for sector-specific action plans to be developed jointly with employers, trade unions, and health experts. Recommended measures include awareness campaigns, targeted health strategies, technological innovations, and stronger protection for particularly vulnerable workers.

Data situation in the EU

To systematically record the effects of heat in the workplace, the European Commission relies on various data sources. Eurostat documents annually reported cases of heatstroke or sunstroke within the framework of the European Statistics on Accidents at Work (ESAW). In addition, a voluntary pilot data collection for the European Statistics on Occupational Diseases (EODS) provides information on recognised occupational diseases caused by heat – with the exception of Germany, Greece, and Portugal, which do not participate.

Furthermore, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) and the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) also contribute important insights. While EU-OSHA collects data in company surveys on new risks such as “heat, cold, or drafts”, Eurofound focuses in the European Working Conditions Survey on the occurrence of “high temperatures”.

European initiative

The European Commission is aware of the risks that heatwaves pose for citizens and the economy. In a debate with members of the European Parliament, Commissioner Piotr Serafin stressed that the EU urgently needs to step up its adaptation measures – with an integrated framework for climate adaptation and risk management. The focus should be on risk detection, prevention, innovation, and financing. However, occupational safety did not play a role.

This is because the Commission’s current occupational safety strategy still leaves it up to the member states to set measures. Binding regulations to protect workers exposed to extreme heat are lacking. Trade unions are therefore calling for a specific directive on the prevention of heat stress in the workplace. Some members of the European Parliament have also raised the issue in the past – but in the debate with Commissioner Serafin in mid-September, public health and housing issues dominated.