Non-heat-based construction similar to practices in Greece?
In the sweltering summer heat of 2025, the German Medical Association has called for binding heat protection plans, urging their implementation "across the board", especially for outdoor work. The appeal comes as heat-related sick notes have been on the rise, particularly in childcare professions and various sectors such as construction, postal services, and craftsmanship.
Dr. Günther Matheis, President of the State Medical Association of Rhineland-Palatinate, echoed the call, emphasising the need for binding heat protection plans. He also advocated for stricter controls to ensure existing workplace protection is consistently implemented.
While Germany does not have specific nationwide heat-related workplace regulations with explicit temperature limits, employers are obliged under the Arbeitsschutzgesetz (Occupational Safety and Health Act) to protect workers from heat stress by implementing preventive measures. These often include providing free drinking water, ensuring availability of shade and ventilated areas, adjusting work schedules to cooler times of day, allowing frequent breaks or work–rest cycles, and implementing training and heat illness awareness programs.
However, unlike some countries that may specify thresholds for dangerous heat exposure or require work–rest cycles, Germany lacks exact equivalent regulations prescribing mandatory heat stress plans or fines for non-compliance. The focus in Germany is more on heating mandates during cold months to guarantee indoor living and working environments are kept sufficiently warm.
As temperatures soar, the German government and employers are under pressure to take more proactive measures. If the office temperature reaches 35 degrees, it is no longer suitable as a workplace, and the employer must provide an alternative. For outdoor work, measures such as setting up sun sails and providing cold drinks or sunscreen are necessary when temperatures exceed 35 degrees.
The Greek legislature has recently implemented stricter measures, prohibiting outdoor work during heat waves between 12 and 17 hours in many parts of the country. However, in Germany, employees do not have a right to heat leave. The DGB in Rhineland-Palatinate does not support a general work stoppage at 35 degrees outdoors between 12 and 17 hours, as in Greece.
Susanne Wingertszahn, Chairwoman of the DGB Rhineland-Palatinate/Saarland, suggests stricter controls for the occupational safety authority. Possible measures to manage heat at the workplace include setting up fans, ventilating at night or in the early morning, installing blinds, relaxing the dress code, providing drinks, allowing flexible working hours, and longer break times. The Chamber of Crafts of the Palatinate believes that existing regulations are sufficient for heat protection of employees.
Matheis suggests that these plans should be written and implemented consistently to prevent heat-related illnesses and emergency room visits. While the model of prohibiting outdoor work during heat waves is not yet in place in Rhineland-Palatinate, the call for binding heat protection plans is gaining momentum as the country grapples with rising heat-related sicknesses.
- Dr. Matheis advocates for the implementation of binding heat protection plans, which should include written and consistently implemented plans, to prevent heat-related illnesses and emergency room visits.
- The German government, along with employers, should take more proactive measures for workplace wellness, such as providing free drinking water, shade, adjusting work schedules, and implementing training programs, to protect workers from heat stress.
- As mental health becomes increasingly important in the discourse of health and wellness, it's crucial for fitness and exercise programs to be integrated into workplace-wellness initiatives, not just physical safety measures, to promote overall employee well-being.
