UK Unions Demand Legal Maximum Workplace Temperatures

Workers in the United Kingdom across the construction, baking, transport, and emergency services sectors are reporting dangerous conditions as temperatures surpass 35C. In response, the Trades Union Congress and other labor organizations are campaigning for the implementation of maximum legal working temperatures to prevent dehydration and heat stroke.

The Trades Union Congress is calling for employers to take action when temperatures exceed 24C and for work to stop entirely at 30C, or 27C for strenuous roles. This proposal draws on existing models in Spain and Belgium that restrict labor based on temperature thresholds. The Bakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union has campaigned for similar limits for a decade, while Unison is advocating for evidence-based thresholds for essential workers.

Conditions have reached critical levels in specific sectors. Bus drivers in London have gone on strike to protest inadequate air conditioning in cabs, where temperatures have exceeded 40C. Similarly, ambulance medical technicians in Birmingham have reported unbearable working conditions. While some employers have introduced additional breaks and relaxed uniform codes, others continue to expect normal operations despite the heat.