Sweat only half as long at temperatures over 30 degrees

After the mixed Whitsun weekend, temperatures are rising again – and the Left Party is calling for better heat protection in the workplace. Party leader Jan van Aken demands that daily working hours be reduced by a quarter when temperatures reach 26 degrees Celsius at work. Above 30 degrees Celsius, work hours should be cut by half. The Left Party leader also calls for free sunscreen dispensers on beaches and more water dispensers in cities. His paper, titled "Heat Protection Is Occupational Safety – Act Now," has been made available to the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND).

"The climate crisis has long been a social crisis as well – those who toil under the scorching sun or sit in an overheated office often pay with their own health," van Aken told RND. "I don't think anyone can work concentrated and effectively in an office at 30 degrees Celsius or more. The heat and sun put a strain on performance and the body! This can lead to health problems. This applies to working in an office or to hard physical labor on the street."

The Left Party leader is calling on the federal government to implement the emergency measures by July 2025.

The workplace regulations must be tightened: When temperatures at the workplace exceed 26 degrees Celsius, there should be a 10-minute additional break per hour, the right to sufficient water and sun protection, the right to work from home, and a 25 percent reduction in full-time hours.

At temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius, the rules should also be tightened: working hours may be reduced by 50 percent, there should be a ten-minute break every half hour, and fans must be set up in the workplace.