[DE] High temperatures at the workplace – what can remedy this?

For weeks, temperatures have been in the “heat-free zone” and work is difficult, especially at lunchtime. Especially physically demanding jobs, such as in warehousing and commissioning, are challenging now. And not only for the employee! Because the employer now also has a duty:

Employer’s duties in high temperatures – what the law says

According to the Workplace Ordinance (Arb.StättV), workplaces must be designed in such a way that they ensure the health protection of employees. This also includes the indoor climate or room temperature – they must enable “work that is beneficial to health”.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act (ArbSchG) as the legal basis for occupational health and safety in Germany obliges employers to take measures that protect the health and safety of workers. This includes preventing health risks from extreme heat.

Finally, the technical rules for workplaces (ASR) are a little more specific: ASR A3.5 states that the room temperature at the workplace should be between 20 and 26 degrees Celsius if possible.
The Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAUA) has specified an upper limit for the room temperature in the guideline for workplaces with a maximum of 35 degrees Celsius. It recommends measures such as the installation of fans and cooling devices or a relaxation of the dress code as of a room temperature of 26 degrees Celsius.

There is no “heat-free” at work in this sense. However, if employers do nothing or too little to remedy the situation when the temperature at the workplace exceeds 30 degrees, even after being asked to do so, employees may refuse to workif there is a risk to their health.

But what can employers do to make working at high temperatures more pleasant for their employees?

The 8 best measures against the adverse effects of high temperatures at the workplace

Apart from the increasing strain and exertion that rising temperatures bring: Concentration and responsiveness diminish in prolonged heat. And that can drive up the error rate and, in the worst case, even lead to more accidents! With this advice, employers can make work more pleasant and safer even during high temperatures.

Top 3 things to do to beat the heat in the workplace

• Working hours! The best, proven measure against too high temperatures at the workplace: an adjustment of working hours! For activities that are not necessarily tied to specific opening or service hours, allow for flexible shifting of working hours forward, into the earlier and cooler morning hours.

• Dress code! Appropriate clothing is an absolutely essential lift for individual well-being. And in high temperatures, an employee in a tie is more likely to earn pitying looks than admiring ones. Where no concessions should be made is on the subject of protective work clothing or equipment. Here, safety comes first – all the more reason why the topic of breaks must play a role, during which the protective gloves, visor, cut-protection gown or the like can then be taken off.

• Reduce speed! Reduce the pace of work in the warehouse. In high temperatures at the workplace, physical work such as in the warehouse simply cannot be carried out at the same intensity as set under ideal conditions. In addition, as concentration and resilience decrease, the risk of errors and also injuries increases. It is the employer’s responsibility to avoid this at all costs!

Furthermore, what measures help to make working more pleasant even in high temperatures?

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• Drink! So simple and so effective:

  Regular and sufficient drinking is the be-all and end-all, especially in high temperatures, and prevents dehydration. What specifically can you do?

  • Make sure your employees have access to fresh and free water. Set up a clearly visible and accessible water dispenser, keeping the necessary walking distances or obstacles to a minimum.
  • In addition, regularly remind your employees to drink enough, for example by distributing glasses or paper cups directly to their desks. Encourage your employees to drink enough by introducing additional breaks, by sending an email in between or similar.

• Breaks! And in adequate surroundings.

  So make sure the air conditioning in the break rooms is comfortable. If necessary, increase the number of breaks. In the logistics sector, warehouses have already introduced a fixed break frequency to give employees the opportunity to relax. When workplace temperatures are high, it is crucial to increase this break frequency and extend the concept of mandatory breaks to all employees.

• Offline! Disconnect electrical devices that are not needed from the mains.

  Computers, printers, copiers and scanners can quickly raise the room temperature. Make sure that the devices are only switched on when they are needed. This way you will not only have a cooler office, but also save energy!

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• Air! Especially when temperatures at the workplace are high, it is important to regularly renew the air in the room.

• • The right strategy for ventilation: Open the windows early in the morning, close them again as the day’s temperature rises – and shade them.
  • Fans can help for a short time, but better are
  • humidifiers that diffuse cooled air through water or a
  • Mobile air conditioning as an expensive but effective solution
  • Temporary and, above all, psychologically effective: small spray bottles filled with cool water that release a fine mist with a burst of spray when needed.

• Shade! Keep direct sunlight away from window surfaces.

  This is helped, for example, by

  • Internal and (even more effective) external blinds
  • UV protection film for windows
  • Thermal curtains specially designed to keep interiors cool