Employers must keep workers safe in the first heatwave of 2026
Union body calls for a maximum working temperature to protect workers
As Britain’s first heatwave of the year begins, with amber heat health alerts issued for some areas, the TUC is calling for the protections that workers need in the heat.
Working in hot weather can lead to dehydration, tiredness, muscle cramps, fainting, and – in the most extreme cases – loss of consciousness.
And workers who are outdoors for long periods in heat wave are at serious risk of sunstroke, heat stress and even skin cancer.
The TUC says employers can help their workers by:
Temporarily relaxing their workplace dress codes: Encouraging staff to work in more loose, casual clothing – leaving the jackets, ties and formal workwear at home.
Keeping staff comfortable: Allowing for frequent breaks and providing a supply of cold drinks.
Allowing flexible working: Giving staff the chance to come in earlier or stay later will let them avoid the stifling and unpleasant conditions of the rush hour commute. Employers should also consider enabling staff who can to work from home while it is hot.
Keeping workplace buildings cool: Workplaces can be kept cooler and more bearable by taking simple steps such as using air conditioning, fans and moving staff away from windows or sources of heat.
Climate-proofing workplaces: Preparing buildings for increasingly hot weather by installing ventilation, air-cooling and energy efficiency measures.
Talking and listening to staff and their unions: Staff will have their own ideas about how best to cope with the excessive heat.
And for staff working outside, the TUC recommends:
Sun protection: Prolonged sun exposure is dangerous for outdoor workers, so employers should provide sunscreen as a form of personal protective equipment.
Sensible hours and shaded areas for outdoor workers: Outside tasks should be scheduled for early morning and late afternoon, not between 11am-3pm when UV radiation levels and temperatures are highest. Employers should seek to provide canopies or shades.
Maximum working temperatures
Unlike other countries, Britain does not have maximum legal working temperatures.
We do however have minimum working temperatures, with the HSE’s code of practice setting out that the temperature in a workplace should normally be at least 16 degrees Celsius.
With the UK experiencing four heatwaves last summer that led to amber warnings, the TUC says that maximum working temperatures are needed too.
The need for maximum temperature regulations for workplaces was recently backed by the Climate Change Committee in their recommendations to government.
The government has committed to ‘modernise health and safety guidance with reference to extreme temperatures’ as part of their Make Work Pay policy programme.
The TUC is calling for the Health and Safety Executive to urgently review and update guidance to deliver on this commitment with the introduction of maximum workplace temperature guidelines that ensure:
Employers take steps to reduce temperatures if they get above 24°C and workers feel uncomfortable.
Workers can stop work above a maximum temperature of 30°C, or 27°C for those doing strenuous jobs.
Climate change
The TUC is also calling on ministers to make sure British workplaces are fit for a hotter climate.
Public and private investment is needed to upgrade our buildings and infrastructure, so that they remain functional during heatwaves.
We must also continue with climate action so that we can prevent global heating become more extreme, with greater costs to our lives.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said:
“Most of us will welcome the chance to enjoy the first proper summer weather of the year. But it’s not so much fun if you’re stuck in an overheated workplace.
“Indoor workplaces should be kept at comfortable temperatures, with relaxed dress codes and flexible working to make use of the coolest hours of the day.
“And employers must make sure outdoor workers are protected with regular breaks, lots of fluids, plenty of sunscreen and the right protective clothing.
“With heatwaves becoming more common, we need to adapt. We need new laws on maximum working temperatures, improvements to workplaces to keep them cool, and climate action to reduce global heating.”
- UK heatwaves and heat-health alerts: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued amber heat health alerts for the Midlands, eastern and south-east England. The alerts are in place until 17:00 BST on Wednesday 27 May.
The UK experienced four heatwaves during summer 2025, all of which triggered amber Heat‑Health Alerts issued by the Met Office and UK Health Security Agency.
Amber alerts indicate risks to the wider population, with significant impacts on health and social care services and increased risk to older people and those with pre‑existing conditions.
The last red alert was during the extreme heatwave of July 2022. A redalert indicates a national emergency level of heat with significant risk to life across the general population (not just vulnerable groups), and severe impacts on health, infrastructure and services.
- UK government’s commitment on health and safety regulation and ‘extreme temperatures’: See point 7 under the heading ‘Longer-term delivery of reforms (autumn 2024 and onwards)’, which states:
“7) Review health and safety guidance and regulations
With a view to modernising legislation and guidance, looking at neurodiversity awareness in the workplace, how to modernise health and safety guidance with reference to extreme temperatures, whether existing regulations and guidance is adequate to support and protect those experiencing the symptoms of long COVID, and we will ensure health and safety reflects the diversity of the workforce. We will bring forward this review in due course.”
Full details are here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/next-steps-to-make-work-pay/next-steps-to-make-work-pay-web-accessible-version
- Climate Change Committee recommendation for maximum working temperature regulations: The Climate Change Committee (CCC) is the UK’s independent climate adviser. Its May 2026 report, A Well‑Adapted UK, identifies extreme heat as a major and growing risk. The CCC calls for maximum working temperature regulations to protect workers during heatwaves. It says limits would reduce risks to health and safety and drive investment in cooling.
Full details are here: https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/a-well-adapted-uk/
- About the TUC: The Trades Union Congress (TUC) exists to make the working world a better place for everyone. We bring together the 5.3 million working people who make up our 47 member unions. We support unions to grow and thrive, and we stand up for everyone who works for a living.
Contacts:
TUC press office
media@tuc.org.uk
020 7467 1248
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