Breeze Through the Heat: Your Guide to Safe Summer Workdays
Hot workdays: Surviving in the heat during office hours
Whether you're stationed in an office, a factory, or on a construction site, soaring temperatures can lead to diminished focus, headaches, or queasiness. It's essential employers ensure a manageable work environment, especially during the scorching summer months. Here's a breakdown of measures they must take to keep you cool and comfortable. Let's dive in!
Heat Leave: What You Need to Know
Alas, there's no legal entitlement to "heat leave" for employees in Germany. However, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Act (ArbSchG), employers must maintain work conditions that don't endanger employees' well-being.
By referencing the Workplace Ordinance (Betriebsverfügungen) and the Technical Rules for Workplaces (ASR A3.5), employers can select appropriate solutions for overheated workspaces.
Thermostat Wars: What's the Optimal Temperature?
Lea Deimel, from the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin, or BAuA), shares some insights: "In work and social rooms, the temperature should not exceed plus 26 degrees."
However, a room temperature above 26 degrees is acceptable if effective sun protection is installed in offices and production halls, and the outdoor temperature soars over 26 degrees.
Employer's heat-defying duty: Stay neat, cool, and hydrated
Three temperature markers are regulated for offices and factories—over 26 degrees, 30 degrees, and 35 degrees. The TOP principle should guide the employer's response: prioritize technical (T) measures, followed by organizational (O) and personal (P) measures.
- When temperatures reach above 26 degrees, employers should issue recommendations for protective measures, such as utilizing fans, ventilation, or working early mornings when cooler air prevails. Other possibilities include offering flexible work schedules, loosening the dress code, or providing water.
- If temperatures climb above 30 degrees, employers should step up their game with blinds, air conditioning, and fans to cool the workspace.
- At temperatures above 35 degrees in the room, it's unsuitable for work without additional measures such as air showers, water curtains, or heat-resistant protective clothing. Nevertheless, such measures are seldom seen in offices.
Do It Yourself? Rethink That Cold Iced Coffee!
On sweltering days, taking matters into your own hands might not be the smartest idea. "It's best to have a chat with management and team members and find solutions together," advises Andreas Stephan from the Professional Association for Occupational Safety and Health (VBG).
Although loosening the dress code during hot weather may seem tempting, employees should await their employer's green light. Leaving the office or warehouse due to excessive heat could result in a warning. However, if an employee is exposed to unbearable heat that endangers their health, they have the right to stop work as a last resort.
Blue Collars, Take Extra Precautions
Working outdoors can present additional challenges. High temperatures, UV rays, and ozone pollution pose risks. Employers must conduct a risk assessment to implement long-term measures, such as introducing additional breaks during heatwaves, providing shade through sun protection devices like construction tents or umbrellas, and offering mobile air conditioners or fans for cooling.
Employers should reschedule heavy work for early morning hours during extreme temperatures and provide headgear, UV-filter sunglasses, and sunscreen.
When Employers Refuse to Comply
If your employer disregards their responsibility to maintain a safe work environment, start a conversation with them. You can also reach out to your company's occupational safety specialist, the company doctor, or the works council. If matters remain unresolved, seek assistance from the relevant occupational safety authority or the accident insurance carrier.
Stay informed, take care, and enjoy a comfortable and productive workday!
- Employers, in adherence to the Occupational Safety and Health Act (ArbSchG), must take steps to maintain work conditions that don't endanger their employees' well-being, focusing on health and wellness, especially in the workplace wellness context.
- To ensure a manageable workspace temperature during the summer, employers should implement measures that may range from fans and ventilation at temperatures above 26 degrees, to air conditioning and rescheduling heavy work for cooler hours, when temperatures exceed 30 degrees, in the effort to promote employee health and well-being.
