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ARTICLE · 01 JULY 2026

Extreme Heat At Work: Is There A Maximum Working Temperature?

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As heatwaves intensify globally, employers face mounting legal obligations to protect workers from extreme heat. This comprehensive analysis examines how 18 jurisdictions regulate maximum working temperatures, revealing three distinct regulatory approaches and their practical implications for workplace safety.

GlobalEmployment and HR
Ius Laboris
Ius Laboris

As heatwaves become more frequent and intense, this four-part series examines employer obligations during extreme heat. In part one, we explore how different jurisdictions regulate heat-related risks at work, including whether they set maximum working temperatures.

Much of Europe is currently sweltering. Warnings of extreme heat and ‘red alerts’ have been issued in countries such as the UK, France, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands in recent days. However, this is not just a European issue. Around the world, heatwaves are increasing in terms of frequency, duration and intensity.

For employers, this is not only an environmental concern. It is a workplace health and safety issue. High temperatures can affect employee wellbeing, concentration and productivity. In more severe cases, they can lead to heat-related illness. Organisations must therefore understand how existing legal frameworks apply.

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