Health & safety plans drawn up by regulators would allow workers to down tools during heatwaves. These include binmen, builders, and other manual labour workers who would be able to demand additional protection during hot weather under the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), the regulator for the industry.
Unions are pushing for the plans which would include a maximum working temperature of 27 C for manual jobs. They have spoken to ministers about their demands .
While the HSE is expected to stop short of setting a specific legal maximum, it is preparing to tell employers to carry out “heat stress assessments” if temperatures reach certain levels, as well as to provide additional support including more frequent rest breaks. Employers would also be expected to offer better access to shade and water.
Britain is currently in the middle of the fourth heatwave of 2025 with five regions in the countr under an amber heat health alert, meaning a risk of travel disruption and increasing demand on health services. In the near future, the Met Office expects temperatures to hit 45 C and unions are pushing for better protections for workers.
The HSE is in the middle of amending an approved code of practice for working conditions that were first created in 1992. It calls for a safe minimum temperature of 13C for strenuous jobs and 16C for non-strenuous jobs. There is currently no maximum temperature for workers and unions have met with the regulator as they call for revisions to the guidance.
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