As temperatures soar across the UK and much of Europe, the conversation has shifted beyond uncomfortable commutes and crowded beaches. For millions of workers, the current heatwave is creating genuine health and safety challenges that many employers are unaccustomed to managing.
Across parts of Europe, temperatures have exceeded 40°C (104°F), while the UK has recorded its hottest June temperatures on record, prompting red extreme heat warnings and widespread disruption. Construction projects have been rescheduled, agricultural work has been curtailed, transport infrastructure has been affected and emergency services have experienced unprecedented demand. Scientists estimate that more than 1,300 excess deaths have already occurred across Europe during the current heatwave, with France alone reporting around 1,000 additional deaths during the most intense period. While the majority of these deaths involve elderly or vulnerable people, the figures highlight the significant health impacts that prolonged extreme heat can have on entire populations.
Heat Is a Workplace Hazard
Unlike many traditional workplace hazards, heat cannot always be eliminated. For workers in construction, agriculture, logistics, manufacturing, utilities and emergency services, work must often continue despite challenging environmental conditions.
The human body functions best within a relatively narrow temperature range. As air temperature and humidity rise, the body’s ability to cool itself through sweating becomes less effective. Without adequate hydration, rest and cooling opportunities, workers can experience heat cramps, heat exhaustion and, in severe cases, heat stroke—a medical emergency that can rapidly become fatal.
Heat also affects cognitive performance. Research has consistently shown that increasing temperatures reduce concentration, slow reaction times and impair decision-making. In high-risk industries where workers operate heavy machinery, work at height or manage hazardous processes, even minor reductions in alertness can significantly increase the likelihood of an incident.
The economic impact is also becoming more apparent. Recent analysis suggests that even a four-day heatwave can measurably reduce labour productivity across Western Europe, particularly in construction, manufacturing and agriculture, where much of the work takes place outdoors or in environments with significant heat exposure.
Why Europe Is Different
One question frequently asked is why temperatures that are considered routine in other parts of the world cause such significant disruption across Europe.
The answer is not simply the temperature itself.
It is preparation and conditioning.
Workers in regions such as Western Australia and Central Queensland, parts of the Middle East, and many countries across sub-Saharan Africa routinely work in temperatures exceeding 35–40°C. Industries such as mining, construction, oil and gas, agriculture and infrastructure have developed comprehensive systems for managing heat exposure because extreme heat is an expected part of daily operations.
These measures commonly include:
- Starting work before sunrise and finishing before the hottest part of the day.
- Mandatory hydration programmes.
- Scheduled rest breaks in air-conditioned or shaded recovery areas.
- Heat acclimatisation programmes for new workers.
- Monitoring environmental conditions using heat stress indices such as the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT).
- Supervising workers for early signs of heat-related illness.
- Adjusting workloads based on temperature and humidity.
Importantly, workers themselves are also physiologically acclimatised to hot conditions. Heat acclimatisation develops over approximately one to two weeks of regular exposure and improves the body’s ability to regulate temperature, sweat more efficiently and maintain cardiovascular performance during physical work.
By comparison, prolonged periods above 30°C remain relatively uncommon across much of northern Europe and the UK. Many workplaces have limited cooling infrastructure, buildings are often designed to retain heat rather than dissipate it, and both employers and workers may have relatively little experience managing sustained high-temperature conditions.
Acclimatisation Is Not Immunity
While acclimatisation significantly improves heat tolerance, it does not eliminate the risk.
Every year, countries accustomed to extreme temperatures continue to experience heat-related illnesses and fatalities. In Australia’s mining and construction sectors, employers routinely implement comprehensive heat management plans despite operating in climates where summer temperatures frequently exceed 40°C.
Similarly, workers in equatorial Africa often adapt their working practices around the climate rather than attempting to work through the hottest part of the day. In many regions, physical work naturally slows during the afternoon before resuming as temperatures begin to fall.
The lesson is clear: successful hot-weather working is not simply about “being used to it”. It is about recognising heat as a workplace hazard and managing it accordingly.
A Growing Challenge
Heatwaves are becoming more frequent, more intense and longer lasting. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 489,000 heat-related deaths occur globally each year, while Europe experienced an estimated 61,672 heat-related excess deaths during the summer of 2022 alone. Even the cooler summer of 2023 was associated with an estimated 47,000 heat-related deaths across Europe.
As temperatures continue to rise, organisations may need to rethink how work is planned during periods of extreme heat. Measures that were once considered exceptional—earlier start times, flexible shifts, mandatory hydration breaks and formal heat stress management plans—may become standard practice in many industries.
What Can Employers Do?
Organisations should ensure that heat risks are considered within their risk assessments and that appropriate controls are implemented before temperatures reach dangerous levels. Practical measures include:
- Monitoring weather forecasts and heat alerts.
- Providing cool drinking water and encouraging frequent hydration.
- Introducing additional rest breaks and shaded recovery areas.
- Scheduling physically demanding work during cooler parts of the day.
- Gradually acclimatising workers returning from leave or new to hot environments.
- Training supervisors to recognise the early signs of heat-related illness.
- Reviewing emergency response procedures for suspected heat stroke.
Final Thoughts
The current heatwave is a reminder that weather itself can become a significant workplace hazard. While countries with consistently hot climates have developed systems to manage these risks, much of Europe is still adapting to a future in which extreme heat may become increasingly common.
Experience from around the world demonstrates that people can work safely in very hot conditions—but only when the risks are recognised, workers are properly acclimatised, and appropriate controls are in place.
For employers, the challenge is no longer simply responding to an unusually hot summer. It is preparing for a future where extreme heat becomes another foreseeable workplace hazard requiring the same level of planning, leadership and risk management as any other.
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