What rights do workers have in extreme heat?

In enclosed spaces, regulations do set temperature ranges. Offices and sedentary jobs must be kept between 17 and 27 degrees, while for light work the limit is between 14 and 25 degrees. Humidity conditions are also regulated, which should generally be between 30% and 70%.

The main problem arises outdoors. For outdoor work, there is no single maximum temperature above which working is prohibited. The risk depends not only on the thermometer, but also on humidity, solar radiation, physical effort, clothing, working hours, and each person's health.

Weather alerts are a key factor. Cuando Aemet or Meteocat issue orange or red heat warnings, companies must adapt working conditions if they cannot guarantee the safety of their workers. This may mean reorganising shifts, reducing sun exposure, starting earlier, increasing breaks, or even suspending certain tasks.

In practice, many measures are applied before reaching an extreme situation. In some sectors, works councils agree on earlier working hours during the summer to avoid the hottest part of the day, especially from June onwards, when the heat becomes more persistent.

The occupational risk prevention law obliges companies to protect their staff from any health risk, even if there is no official alert in place. If actual working conditions are dangerous, the company must assess them and implement preventive measures.

These measures may include providing fresh water, setting up shaded or rest areas, adjusting work pace, avoiding heavy tasks during the hottest hours, providing suitable clothing, and training employees to recognise symptoms of exhaustion or heatstroke.

Workers also have the right to stop working if they believe there is a serious and imminent risk to their health. In such cases, they must inform the company or their supervisor, and the regulations protect this decision when the danger is real and justified.

Heatstroke does not always happen suddenly. It can start with dizziness, headache, weakness, confusion, heavy sweating or, in more severe cases, very hot skin, loss of consciousness, and behavioural changes. Ignoring these symptoms can have serious consequences.

Barcelona is well aware of the impact of these episodes. Heatwaves are more frequent, longer, and harder to manage in a dense city, with lots of asphalt and workers providing essential services on the streets even during the toughest hours.

The death of a municipal cleaning worker during a heatwave last summer was a clear warning: prevention cannot rely solely on general recommendations. Planning, monitoring, and the ability to stop when the risk becomes unreasonable are needed.

Meteocat plays an important role in Catalunya by issuing warnings and anticipating episodes of intense heat. But alerts are only one part of the system. Real protection depends on companies, authorities, and prevention officers turning those warnings into concrete changes on the ground.

Extreme heat is now part of the working summer in many cities. The question is not just what the thermometer says, but how work is organised when temperature stops being a nuisance and becomes a health risk.