Workers in the UK are facing significant challenges due to extreme heat, with temperatures in London recently exceeding 35C. This has led to renewed calls for the introduction of a maximum working temperature, a measure already in place in some other European countries.
Joshua Swinney, a head chef in north London, described using a frozen tea towel to cope with the heat in his kitchen. He noted that while fans offer some help, they often just circulate hot air, and the pub has tried to adapt its menu to include more dishes that do not require ovens or stoves.
Construction workers, bakers, bus drivers, paramedics, and teachers are among those reporting that heatwaves are becoming increasingly dangerous. Kenny Dinsdale, a 65-year-old construction worker, highlighted the risk of serious injury, including dehydration and heat stroke, particularly for an older workforce. He suggested adopting "Mediterranean-style hours" to avoid working during the hottest parts of the day.
Sarah Woolley, chair of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers’ Union, stated that already hot bakeries become even hotter as outside temperatures rise. While some employers have introduced measures like relaxed uniform policies and additional breaks, others, particularly where unions are not recognised, expect workers to continue as normal.
Essential workers like paramedics also face difficulties. An ambulance medical technician in Birmingham described working in the heat as "awful" and "vile," noting that demand for care increases during hot weather. Paramedics are asking to be allowed to wear lighter uniforms when temperatures reach certain levels.
Bus drivers have expressed frustration over high temperatures in their cabs, where air conditioning is often ineffective or non-existent, with some cabs exceeding 40C. Some drivers have taken strike action to protest their working conditions.
Huma Haq, the Trades Union Congress’s health and safety lead, pointed to the success of maximum workplace temperatures in countries like Spain, where summers are hotter than in the UK. Unions are advocating for rules that would require employers to take action to reduce temperatures when they exceed 24C, and for work to stop if temperatures reach 30C, or 27C for strenuous jobs.