Heatwave: How to better protect workers from the heat

Social struggles sometimes come down to a piece of cloth. After going on strike, garbage collectors in Niort (Deux-Sèvres) were authorized on Thursday, June 19, to work in shorts while the department was placed on orange heatwave alert. This exceptional exemption, valid until Monday, June 23, was initially refused. The management of the collection service had cited a safety reason: wearing pants protects the legs.

The first heatwave of the year, according to Météo France, which is currently hitting France and is expected to end this Sunday, June 22, is complicating the daily lives of workers most exposed to rising temperatures: construction and public works workers, gardeners, farmers, metalworkers, cooks, etc.

The effects of high temperatures are numerous: fatigue, decreased alertness, increased reaction time, dehydration, and heatstroke (see below). In 2024, seven fatal accidents likely linked to heat were recorded, according to labor inspection data.

For a long time, workplace risks in the context of global warming were not a central concern. "It was only in the sixth report of the IPCC, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – published in 2023, editor's note – that occupational risks linked to climate change began to receive special attention," note Salima Benhamou and Jean Flamand, economists and project managers at France Stratégie, a department attached to the Prime Minister's office, in a note.

In France, no maximum temperature beyond which all work must cease has been included in the Labor Code. The National Institute for Research and Safety (INRS) estimates that the risk occurs as early as 28°C for work requiring physical activity and as early as 30°C for sedentary work. "However, certain work situations can be dangerous below 28°C or controlled above 30°C because the air temperature is not sufficient to assess the risks," the organization specifies. Other parameters must also be taken into account: humidity, wind, solar radiation, type of clothing, etc.

Employers are required to include heat-related risks in the Single Risk Assessment Document (DUER), which all businesses must have. A new decree will come into force on July ¹ to strengthen employers' obligations regarding prevention.

In the event of heat-related risks, companies must adjust work arrangements : modify schedules, suspend strenuous tasks during the hottest hours, and redesign workstations with blackout, ventilation, or misting systems. Employers must ensure access to water, with, in the absence of running water, three liters per day per person.

Equipment must also be provided to employees: breathable or cooling clothing, headwear, sunglasses, etc. But changing habits in this area can take time. "I provided long-sleeved T-shirts to protect against the sun's rays. Last year, only 10% of the workforce had adopted them; this year, 50% have," notes Christophe Ruas, business leader and member of the National Federation of Public Works (FNTP).

Finally, companies are required to train employees to detect heatstroke, and must pay particular attention to the most vulnerable staff, particularly pregnant women.

Yann Danion, who heads a nine-employee SME specializing in insulation, has always adapted his business when summer comes. "In July and August, we don't do insulation work just below the roof because it's uninhabitable," explains the man who is also president of the plastering and insulation trades at the Confederation of Crafts and Small Building Companies (Capeb). In the event of a heatwave, the contractor starts work earlier at 6:30 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. "In my region, these are single-family homes in rural areas, so there are no problems with the neighbors. But for my colleagues who work in the city, it's more complicated," explains Yann Danion.

In the event of a municipal decree governing construction site hours, tradespeople must request an exemption from the town hall . Despite the adjustment of schedules, construction sites can be delayed. The work day may be shortened, or even the site completely shut down. Not to mention that when it's very hot, people work more slowly.

In the event of a construction site being shut down due to an orange or red Météo France weather alert or due to a prefectural decree, employees may be compensated by the company, which will receive compensation. Since 2024, heatwaves have been included in the construction industry's system for compensating for work stoppages due to bad weather. "Previously, coverage was on a case-by-case basis," explains Roxane Audebrand-Solesse, director prevention and health at work at the FNTP.

However, not all companies fulfill their obligations to ensure the safety of their employees. In 2024, the labor inspectorate conducted 1,700 inspections; during these inspections, it noted "sometimes very degraded and alarming situations." In 90% of cases, it issued "observation letters"; it also issued formal notices.

For Fabienne Rouchy of the CGT, these controls are insufficient. "I've had the opportunity to review numerous single risk assessment documents; they are often incomplete. We're not giving ourselves the means to enforce the measures. Medical services and labor inspection have been greatly weakened in recent years," denounces the confederal secretary responsible for environmental issues. Heat waves are expected to increase in the future, however.