The European Trade Union Institute said Thursday that heat stress threatens 130 million workers across the European Union [1].
This proposal arrives as rising temperatures and frequent heatwaves create predictable health risks for the workforce. Establishing legal protections could prevent widespread illness and fatalities caused by extreme heat during working hours.
The institute presented a proposal for European legislation designed to safeguard health during heatwaves [1]. The suggested rules include the implementation of mandatory cooling breaks, and the establishment of a maximum working-temperature limit [1]. These measures aim to standardize safety protocols across member states to ensure that laborers are not forced to work in hazardous conditions.
The push for these regulations reflects a growing concern over the intersection of climate change and occupational safety. While some reports attribute the pressure on the European Commission to the European Trade Union Confederation, the European Trade Union Institute has specifically outlined the legislative framework for these protections [1].
Advocates for the change said that cooling breaks — similar to those used in professional sports — would allow workers to recover from thermal strain. By setting a legal ceiling on working temperatures, the EU would create a baseline for safety that applies regardless of the specific industry or country.
Such legislation would target a broad spectrum of the economy, from outdoor construction and agriculture to indoor warehouses that lack climate control. The goal is to transform heat safety from a voluntary company policy into a legally enforceable right for the 130 million workers identified as being at risk [1].
“Heat stress threatens 130 million European workers”
The move to codify heat safety laws indicates that European labor bodies no longer view extreme heat as a seasonal anomaly, but as a permanent occupational hazard. If adopted, these rules would shift the burden of risk from the individual worker to the employer and the state, potentially forcing a redesign of work schedules and infrastructure across the EU's industrial and agricultural sectors.
