The 2026 heatwaves revealed that existing occupational safety rules are not keeping pace with climate change. The European Commission and member state governments are working on new regulations that will introduce maximum working temperatures and mandatory worker protection from heat.
The heatwave that swept across Europe in 2026 changed more than just the weather. It changed the way we think about work. When thermometers in many regions showed 40 degrees Celsius, and in the second half of June records for extreme weather conditions were broken in 45 percent of the 854 monitored cities across Europe, it became clear that existing occupational safety regulations were not keeping pace with climate change.
One in five workers in the European Union is now exposed to high temperatures at work, making extreme heat one of the fastest-growing occupational hazards linked to climate change. In response to these challenges, the European Commission, trade unions and the governments of member states have begun work on new regulations that could forever change the rules of the game on the European labour market. The draft of the new rules, which are due to come into force in 2027, introduces maximum working temperatures, an obligation for employers to provide workers with drinks and shade, and the possibility of temporarily suspending work when certain thresholds are exceeded. This is a revolution whose effects will be felt by both employers and workers in all sectors of the economy.
The scale of the problem is hard to overlook. According to data from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, the percentage of European workers exposed to high temperatures for at least a quarter of their working time increased from 13 percent in 1995 to 21 percent in 2024. In some sectors this figure is even higher – 68 percent of agricultural workers and 52 percent of construction workers are exposed to high temperatures for at least a quarter of their working time. In industry and transport, the figure is 33 percent.
This means that millions of Europeans work every summer in conditions that threaten their health and lives. The International Labour Organization estimates that workplace heat stress leads to over 22 million workplace accidents and nearly 19,000 deaths worldwide each year. In Europe alone, an estimated 277,000 accidents and 230 deaths per year are linked to workplace heat stress. These figures leave no doubt – heat is not just a matter of discomfort, but a serious threat to worker safety and health.
New occupational safety rules. Maximum working temperature enters the law
A breakthrough moment in the fight against heat in the workplace is the draft regulation from the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy, which for the first time in the history of Polish law introduces maximum working temperatures. According to the draft, the temperature in indoor workplaces must not exceed 35 degrees Celsius, and in the case of heavy physical work performed outdoors – 32 degrees. Exceeding these limits is to result in the immediate suspension of work. The draft also provides for earlier warning thresholds – already after exceeding 28 degrees indoors and 25 degrees outdoors, employers will be obliged to take preventive measures, such as providing drinks, organising breaks or adjusting working hours.
The regulation is due to come into force in 2027, but it is already generating huge controversy. The strongest opposition to the proposed changes has come from owners of construction and infrastructure companies. In their view, rigid temperature limits could make it difficult to carry out work during the summer season. Company representatives emphasise that protecting workers during heatwaves is necessary, but point out that the regulations should take into account the specifics of individual projects and leave greater flexibility in the organisation of work, for example by changing the start times of work, rotating workers or extending breaks, rather than automatically suspending work. Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, responding to the heatwave, has already called on the National Labour Inspectorate to carry out increased inspections in workplaces. Inspectors are to check above all access to drinks, the organisation of work during heatwaves, rest conditions for people working outdoors, and the implementation of solutions to reduce the heating of rooms, such as blinds or shutters.
Alongside work at national level, a debate is taking place at EU level. The European Trade Union Confederation has for years been calling for binding rules on maximum working temperatures. Trade unions are demanding that employers be obliged to take action to reduce the temperature in the workplace if it exceeds 24 degrees Celsius, and to suspend work when the temperature reaches 30 degrees, or 27 degrees in the case of heavy physical work. They are also proposing the introduction of mandatory heat risk assessments at workstations, the right to paid breaks during heatwaves, and access to water, shade and appropriate protective clothing. As ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch puts it: „Building competitiveness does not mean ignoring this problem, but solving it through dialogue with trade unions at European, sectoral and company level.”
Economy in the fire. Heatwaves cost billions of euros
The economic consequences of heatwaves are already tangible and will grow. According to Allianz Trade estimates, heatwaves in 2025 could cost Europe 0.5 percentage points of GDP. These losses vary across countries – from 0.1 percentage points in Germany to 1.4 percentage points in Spain, and according to some estimates even 1.2 percentage points in Italy. This means that heatwaves have a real, measurable impact on productivity and economic growth. As Allianz Trade chief economist Jasmin Gröschl explains: „Heatwaves paralyse the economy. Generally people work less. One day of extreme temperatures above 32 degrees Celsius is roughly equivalent to half a day of strikes.”
These losses stem primarily from a decline in labour productivity. According to research, the ability to perform physical work drops by about 40 percent when the temperature reaches 32 degrees Celsius, and by two-thirds at 38 degrees. The International Labour Organization estimates that heat stress leads to the loss of 2.2 percent of potential global working hours, equivalent to about 80 million full-time jobs. In Europe alone, productivity losses linked to heatwaves are estimated to cost the EU economy about 17 billion euros annually by 2030. In severe years, these losses could reach as much as 50-80 billion euros, equivalent to 0.3-0.5 percent of EU GDP. Looking at the bigger picture, the global costs of lost working time due to workplace heat stress are projected to reach 2.2 trillion euros by 2030.
Rising temperatures will also have long-term consequences for the structure of the labour market. According to European Commission projections, by the middle of this century, 22 European regions will experience annual productivity losses exceeding 1 percent due to heat stress, and by the 2080s this number will rise to 107 regions. This means that heat will become a permanent factor shaping the economy, not just a seasonal inconvenience. Particularly vulnerable to these losses will be the regions of southern Europe, but also some regions of Central and Eastern Europe, which are less prepared for extreme temperatures.
Who loses the most? Workers on the front line
Not all workers are equally exposed to heat. Those who work outdoors or in hot indoor environments are by far the most at risk. Agriculture, construction, transport, industry, emergency services and tourism are among the sectors where heatwaves are increasingly taking a toll on health and productivity. According to data from the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, 72 percent of skilled agricultural workers say they are exposed to high temperatures for at least a quarter of their working time. They are followed by craftsmen (53 percent), plant and machine operators (42 percent) and elementary workers (40 percent).
Agricultural workers are particularly vulnerable because they spend long periods in full sun, performing heavy physical labour, which further raises body temperature. Construction workers face similar risks, spending many hours outdoors performing heavy manual work in protective clothing that limits the body’s natural cooling. In these occupations, heat is not just discomfort, but a real threat of heat stroke and serious health problems. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work warns that extreme heat is among the fastest-growing occupational hazards linked to climate change.
The gender disparity in heat exposure is also interesting. Men are significantly more exposed to high temperatures at work than women, due to their greater representation in physical and outdoor occupations. However, this does not mean that women are safe – in many service sectors, such as hospitality and retail, they also work in rooms that heat up to dangerous levels during heatwaves. The new occupational safety rules are intended to protect all workers, regardless of gender and sector, but their effectiveness will depend on whether they can be implemented in a way that takes into account the specifics of different occupations and workplaces.
The future of the labour market in the shadow of heatwaves
The new occupational safety rules are just the beginning of the changes awaiting the European labour market. Heatwaves will become a permanent feature of our lives, and this means that employers and workers will have to adapt to a new reality. Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heat, making heatwaves, droughts and wildfires the new normal, with far-reaching economic consequences. Adaptation will be key. In the short term, warning and preventive measures can be introduced. However, these need to be complemented by long-term structural adaptation measures, such as greening cities, cool roofs or better still green roofs, and ways to productively adapt workplaces to increased heat stress.
For employers, this means the need to invest in air conditioning, ventilation, shading of workplaces and organising work during cooler parts of the day. For workers – new rights and obligations, but also new challenges related to maintaining productivity in extreme conditions. For governments – the need to create legal frameworks that will protect workers without at the same time hampering economic development. As Enrico Somaglia, General Secretary of the European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Unions, emphasises: „Climate change is no longer a distant environmental challenge, it is a daily occupational health and safety risk, and a threat to employment stability.” The debate on new occupational safety rules in Europe is only just beginning, and its outcome will have fundamental implications for the future of millions of workers across the continent. The question is not whether heatwaves will change the labour market, but how quickly and effectively we will be able to adapt to this new reality.
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