As Europe experiences extreme summer heat, unions are advocating for new laws to combat heat stress, which they link to approximately 230 workplace deaths annually. The World Health Organization reported 1,300 excess deaths in Europe related to the June heatwave, with some estimates suggesting the total could reach 20,000 this year, according to The Guardian.
Key Details
Unions are calling for enforceable thermal limits at workplaces, based on the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT), which assesses the human body's cooling ability. They propose mandatory heat risk assessments, rights to heat breaks, access to shade, water, and cooling, as well as adjusted working hours. Enrico Somaglia, general secretary of the European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Unions (Effat), stated,
Climate change is no longer a distant environmental challenge; it is a daily occupational health and safety risk.
Background
The proposed measures include maximum WBGTs ranging from 30°C to 32.5°C, beyond which work would be halted. Employers violating these rules would face significant penalties. The draft directive is gaining traction among supportive Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) as the ongoing heatwave raises the urgency of the issue. Effat, along with two other unions representing 15 million workers, is backing the proposed legislation.
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The push for workplace heat protections could affect sectors heavily reliant on outdoor labor, such as agriculture and construction, by increasing operational costs and potentially disrupting productivity. Investors will watch for further developments in the legislative process regarding these proposed protections.