Killer heat, European trade unions call for legislation to protect workers

Brussels – On Saturday, a 51-year-old woman collapsed in her home after finishing her shift as a street cleaner in Barcelona. A small building contractor died yesterday in Italy. At least five people have lost their lives after working in high temperatures in Spain this summer, and similar tragedies have occurred in Italy, France, and Greece in previous summers.

Heat-related deaths can occur even after exposure, “reinforcing the need for more effective protections and more accurate data collection to avoid underestimation of cases,” European trade unions (ETUC) write in a note released today.

42 per cent more deaths

According to data provided by the International Labour Organisation, from 2000 onwards, the EU experienced a 42 per cent increase in heat-related deaths at work, the fastest increase anywhere in the world. Research shows that when temperatures exceed 30 °C, the risk of accidents at work increases by 5 to 7 per cent, according to the ETUC, and when they exceed 38 °C, accidents are 10 to 15 per cent more frequent. Exposure to heat also poses long-term health risks, increasing the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and other conditions such as chronic kidney disease or infertility. However, despite the increased risk, European trade unions argue that “few countries have legislation in place to ensure the safety of workers during heatwaves and too few collect data on heat-related deaths or work injuries.”

This is why the European Trade Union Confederation is calling on the European Commission to submit a directive providing for: Mandatory maximum working temperatures, taking into account sector-specific working conditions, such as the nature and intensity of work, indoor and outdoor activities; an obligation for employers to cooperate with trade unions to develop and implement occupational safety policies through collective agreements; mandatory heat-related risk assessments for employers, incorporating advanced indicators taking into account, for example, temperature, humidity, shade/sun exposure and airflow; training and education for employers, workers and supervisors on recognising the symptoms of heat stress and implementing first aid measures; the right to targeted and regular medical examinations and health monitoring, necessary to prevent the underestimation of heat stress, UV radiation and other work-related illnesses.

ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch warns that “another summer brings with it another tragedy. How many workers have to die during heat waves before some common-sense regulations are put in place? This is an issue that concerns all European countries, which is why the responsibility to propose a solution logically lies with the European Commission.”

According to ETUC confederal secretary Giulio Romani “like any other risk to people’s health and safety, rising temperatures do not have to be a death sentence for workers if we put reasonable measures in place to ensure people’s safety.” For Romani, “on the basis of a strong directive, employers should work with trade unions to ensure that there is a plan in place to work safely during heatwaves, whether it is extra breaks for drinking, protective clothing or access to shade.” “The European Commission has issued guidelines for employers to provide these measures, but,” the trade unionist finally notes, “often the workers most at risk are migrants or seasonal workers living in precarious conditions. Ensuring people’s safety must be a law, not just advice.”