Government Urged to Introduce Maximum Workplace Temperatures As Heatwave Risks Grow
The government is being urged to introduce legally enforceable maximum workplace temperatures as concerns mount over the impact of rising heat levels on staff safety and public health.
The recommendation forms part of a major new report from the independent Climate Change Committee (CCC), which warns that the UK must urgently strengthen its adaptation plans to cope with increasingly severe heatwaves linked to climate change.
The committee says air conditioning and cooling systems should be rolled out across key public services over the coming decades, including all hospitals and care homes within the next 10 years, and schools within 25 years.
The report highlights that extreme heat now represents one of the most serious climate-related threats to health in the UK, particularly for older people and vulnerable residents living in residential and nursing care settings.
According to the CCC, annual heat-related deaths during periods of extreme weather already range between 1,400 and 3,000 across the UK. Without further action, this figure could rise to between 3,000 and 10,000 deaths per year by 2050.
The committee warns that an ageing population will further increase the risks associated with prolonged periods of high temperatures.
The advisers also state that the UK should prepare for at least 2°C of global warming by mid-century, with temperatures above 40°C expected to become increasingly common throughout all parts of the country.
The report predicts that longer and more intense heatwaves will place growing pressure on health and social care services, while approximately 90% of UK homes could face overheating risks in the coming decades.
The CCC is calling for all new buildings to be designed with cooling and climate resilience measures incorporated from the outset, reducing future dependence on energy-intensive retrofitting.
Alongside heat protection measures, the report recommends sustained investment in flood defences, emergency planning, water storage infrastructure and nature-based solutions to improve the country’s resilience to climate impacts.
The committee also urged ministers to maintain a strong regulatory focus on drought management, accelerate efforts to reduce water leakage and introduce measures to lower overall water demand.
Committee chair Baroness Brown said adapting to climate change was essential to protecting the nation’s long-term food, energy and economic security.
She said practical solutions and proven technologies were already available to help the UK respond effectively to rising climate risks.
The report has also prompted renewed calls from the Trades Union Congress (TUC) for stronger legal protections for workers during periods of extreme heat.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said new laws on maximum workplace temperatures were needed, alongside improvements to working environments to help keep staff safe and comfortable.
The union is urging the Health and Safety Executive to review and update its guidance on workplace temperatures.
Among the proposals being backed by the TUC are recommendations that employers should take action when indoor temperatures rise above 24°C and workers become uncomfortable. The union also argues that employees should have the right to stop work when temperatures exceed 30°C, or 27°C for physically demanding roles.
Elizabeth Maxwell, senior associate solicitor at Morr & Co, said:
“The renewed focus on maximum working temperatures is both timely and inevitable.
“At present, the law only requires employers to maintain a “reasonable” temperature, with no statutory upper limit, which leaves a degree of uncertainty as extreme heat becomes more common.
“Introducing clearer parameters would help provide consistency and better protection for workers, particularly in light of increasing heatwaves.
“That said, whether a strict maximum temperature will come into law remains less certain.
“There are real challenges in applying a one-size-fits-all limit across very different working environments, and regulators have historically resisted fixed thresholds for that reason.
“A more likely outcome may be enhanced guidance or sector-specific duties rather than a single universal cap.
“If legislation were introduced, the practical impact on businesses would be significant.
“Employers would need to proactively manage heat risk in the same way as any other health and safety hazard, including potentially altering working hours, introducing additional breaks or even pausing work in extreme conditions.
“In the meantime, the key for businesses is to focus on robust risk assessments, ensure access to ventilation and hydration, and adopt flexible, common-sense adjustments to protect staff wellbeing.
