We’ve reached boiling point – nobody should have to work in temperatures above 30C

theguardian.com:

We love the summer sun, but it can be deadly. The UK’s former chief scientist, David King, has warned this intense heatwave could cause up to 10,000 excess deaths. Despite decades of warnings from scientists that climate breakdown would bring severe heatwaves to the UK, we are still unprepared. Our buildings, public spaces, rules and laws were made for a different climate in a different century. Extreme heat and stormier winters are becoming the norm in Britain, and we’re struggling to cope.

As record temperatures pass 40C (104F) in the UK, working people deserve to be safe. Builders, postal workers and street cleaners who spend long periods outside in high temperatures are at serious risk of sunstroke, heat stress and skin cancer. Other workers doing physical labour in indoor heat, like packing in a hot warehouse, can also suffer heat stress, respiratory problems and even heart failure. Working under pressure in these temperatures can reduce people’s capacity to concentrate and lead to deadly accidents. This can be especially dangerous in industries such as transport and construction, and in manufacturing plants.

Class shapes who is most at risk from the health risks caused by the climate crisis. People in low-paid and insecure jobs and those on zero-hours contracts find it harder to complain or raise safety concerns because they fear losing their wages. There are legal minimum working temperatures in the UK, but no legal maximum. This defies common sense. Spain, Germany and China all have maximum working temperatures enshrined in workers’ rights. And hotter countries adjust work patterns so workers can avoid the worst heat.

The TUC is calling for30C as a new absolute maximum indoor temperature to indicate when work should