Europe is breaking heat records, posing a threat to worker health. A new report from the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) reveals that around 130 million European workers are exposed to heat stress, resulting in 277,000 injuries and 230 deaths annually.
“The problem is worst in the south, but the highest increases in accidents are being recorded in central and northern Europe,” said Andreas Flouris, professor of physiology at the University of Thessaly. “The center and the north are catching up very fast.”
For every 1°C rise above the optimal working temperature of 16°C, productivity drops roughly 2%. During a typical southern European heatwave, losses reach 20-25%, while central Europe sees 8-14%, and even Scandinavia records 3-6% declines.
The ETUI proposes mandatory EU legislation on workplace heat risks, including compulsory heat risk assessments for employers. Researcher Marouane Laabbas-el-Guennouni stressed, “Only by knowing what we are dealing with can we protect workers.”
The authors also recommend using a broader index-factoring in humidity and wind speed-rather than temperature alone. Heatwaves, they note, are measurable, predictable, and preventable.