Phoenix 24
Workers face rising health risks as heat steadily erodes productivity.
Brussels, June 2026
Extreme heat is becoming a structural threat to Europe’s workforce rather than a temporary disruption confined to unusually warm summers. Around one in five workers in the European Union is now exposed to high temperatures while performing their job, placing heat among the fastest-growing occupational risks associated with climate change. Agriculture and construction remain the most exposed sectors, but transport, manufacturing, energy, emergency services and tourism are also experiencing increasingly serious consequences.
The burden falls most heavily on people who work outdoors or inside facilities where machinery, ovens and poor ventilation raise temperatures beyond already dangerous levels. Agricultural workers spend prolonged periods under direct sunlight while performing physically demanding tasks that generate additional body heat. Construction workers face similar conditions, often while wearing helmets, boots and protective clothing that limit the body’s ability to cool itself.
Data from the 2024 European Working Conditions Survey shows the scale of the exposure. Sixty-eight percent of agricultural workers and 52 percent of construction workers reported working in high temperatures for at least one quarter of their working time. Exposure also affected 33 percent of workers in both manufacturing and transport, demonstrating that heat risk extends far beyond fields and building sites.
The trend has intensified over several decades. The share of European workers exposed to high temperatures for between one quarter and three quarters of their working day rose from 13 percent in 1995 to 21 percent in 2024. This increase suggests that heat is no longer an exceptional workplace condition in southern Europe, but a growing feature of employment across a continent experiencing longer and more frequent heatwaves.
Occupation can matter more than the general sector in determining exposure. Skilled agricultural workers report the highest levels, with 72 percent facing high temperatures during a significant part of the working day. They are followed by craft workers at 53 percent, plant and machine operators at 42 percent and workers in elementary occupations at 40 percent. Managers, office employees and professionals generally experience much lower exposure because their workplaces are more likely to be climate-controlled.
The unequal distribution of heat risk also produces a notable gender gap. Thirty-four percent of male workers are exposed to high temperatures for at least one quarter of their working time, compared with 18 percent of female workers. This difference largely reflects the continued concentration of men in construction, transport, agriculture and industrial occupations.
Employment status creates another layer of vulnerability. Many heavily exposed sectors depend on seasonal laborers, migrants, temporary workers and self-employed people who may have limited bargaining power or weak union representation. Workers concerned about losing wages or future contracts may continue performing demanding tasks even when conditions become unsafe. The practical ability to stop working can therefore depend as much on contractual security as on temperature.
Heat exposure can cause dehydration, exhaustion and potentially fatal heatstroke. It can also worsen cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, particularly among older workers and people with existing health conditions. Even before a medical emergency occurs, high temperatures reduce concentration, slow reaction times and increase fatigue, raising the likelihood of falls, vehicle collisions and mistakes involving heavy machinery.
The risks vary across occupations. Agricultural and forestry workers face not only heat, but also growing exposure to air pollution, allergens and diseases transmitted by ticks. Construction workers are increasingly affected by urban heat islands, where concrete, asphalt and limited vegetation keep city temperatures higher than those in surrounding areas. Emergency personnel, including firefighters, police officers and health workers, must often perform their most difficult duties during heat-related crises.
The consequences extend beyond worker safety. Productivity losses begin accelerating sharply when temperatures rise above approximately 30 degrees Celsius. At that point, work slows, breaks become more frequent and some activities must be reduced or suspended during the hottest hours. Repeated across several sectors, these disruptions become a persistent constraint on economic growth rather than an isolated weather-related loss.
Construction is particularly significant because it contributes around 9 percent of the European Union’s gross domestic product and employs approximately 18 million people. Delays caused by heat can affect housing, transport infrastructure and major public projects, while also increasing labor and insurance costs. Agriculture represents a smaller share of the EU economy overall, but its importance is considerably greater in countries such as Greece and Romania.
Manufacturing companies face higher cooling expenses and reduced worker performance when factories overheat. Transport networks can also suffer as roads soften and railway tracks expand or deform. These disruptions delay passengers and freight, increasing costs across supply chains that already depend on tightly coordinated schedules.
Energy systems face a double pressure during heatwaves. Electricity demand rises as homes, businesses and public institutions increase their use of air conditioning. At the same time, gas, coal and nuclear power plants can become less efficient when river temperatures rise and reduce the effectiveness of cooling systems. The sector must therefore meet greater demand while parts of the generating system operate under less favorable conditions.
Agriculture faces the combined effects of worker exposure, drought, heat damage to crops and stress on livestock. Lower yields can reduce farm income and contribute to higher food prices. These pressures can also increase Europe’s dependence on imports from regions that may be experiencing similar climate conditions.
Several European countries have already strengthened heat-related workplace protections. Measures include restricting outdoor work during the hottest part of the day, reducing shifts and requiring employers to provide drinking water, shade and additional rest periods. The precise rules vary considerably between countries, leaving workers with different levels of protection depending on where they live.
European trade unions have called for binding standards across the bloc, including maximum working temperatures, mandatory paid cooling breaks and guaranteed access to drinking water. Supporters argue that common rules are necessary because heat exposure is becoming a cross-border economic and labor issue. Employers, however, must also adapt measures to different occupations, humidity levels, physical demands and local climates.
Adaptation will require more than emergency restrictions during individual heatwaves. Companies may need to redesign schedules, improve ventilation, provide cooling equipment and reorganize physically demanding work. Cities can reduce urban heat through vegetation and reflective materials, while governments can strengthen inspections and ensure that temporary and migrant workers receive the same protection as permanent employees.
Europe’s climate challenge is increasingly becoming a workplace challenge. The workers who harvest food, build homes, move goods, operate machinery and respond to emergencies are among those most exposed to rising temperatures. Protecting them will determine not only the human cost of extreme heat, but also the resilience of the European economy.
El calor extremo también transforma el valor del trabajo. / Extreme heat is also transforming the value of work.