When the Thermometer Hits 32.5°C: Three Countries, Three Approaches to Workplace Heat
Published on 06/17/2026 at 18:36 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
Austrian construction workers have a rare perk in Europe's heatwave playbook: once the shade temperature reaches 32.5 degrees Celsius, they can legally stop working and still collect 60 percent of their usual wages. Employers are then fully reimbursed by the BUAK system, the country's construction-worker holiday and severance fund. The rule is already in force for BUAK-covered trades, and the Bau-Holz union (GBH) is pushing for a statutory right to work stoppage across all sectors.
Further west, the picture looks very different. In Germany, the Federation of Bavarian Business (vbw) is unequivocal: employees have no right to unilaterally stay home when heat builds. Companies must, however, evaluate protective measures — shading, cold drinks, shifts to cooler morning hours. A particular hazard lurks on the commute: heat-related disruptions in public transport fall under the "Wegerisiko" (commuting risk), which the worker bears alone.
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Switzerland takes a still softer line. There is no legal maximum temperature for indoor workplaces. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) merely recommends a range of 23 to 26 degrees Celsius for offices. The exception applies to pregnant employees: above 28 degrees they may stay home if the employer cannot offer alternative work or adequate protections. The accident-insurance fund Suva has announced stepped-up controls for the current heat phase, focusing on construction sites and industrial facilities from 30 degrees upward. At 33 degrees, Suva recommends halving heavy physical labor and introducing extra 15-minute breaks every hour.
The contrast in legal frameworks reflects a broader patchwork. Austria requires a written heat-protection plan once the perceived temperature hits 30 degrees — corresponding to heat-warning level 2. For construction workers, heat is legally treated as bad weather. And from 2027, cooling cabins must be retrofitted on sites by June 1. The GBH is demanding consistent enforcement of the country's 2026 Heat Protection Ordinance, with an eye to a legal right to work suspension.
Scientific advice from Germany's Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) shows that while cognitive performance often holds steady in heat, motivation and concentration drop markedly. Experts recommend the TOP hierarchy: technical measures (air conditioning), organizational steps (shift work to early mornings), and personal adjustments (light clothing). Fluid intake should range from 1.5 to 2.5 liters of water or unsweetened tea, with at least one extra liter in extreme conditions. Workrooms should be darkened from mid-morning, and ventilation should happen during cool night hours. A lesser-known risk: medications stored above 25 degrees can degrade.
Even the world of sport is adapting. Germany's DFL and UEFA leave the call on drinking breaks to on-site referees. UEFA halts matches when temperature exceeds 35 degrees or the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature index tops 32. For the 2026 World Cup, fixed breaks are planned every 22 minutes — though critics see a commercial incentive for extra advertising slots.
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Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) have joined the effort: since June, their digital timetables mark trains without air conditioning with a thermometer icon. About 98 percent of the fleet is climatized; the uncooled cars run mainly as backup trains.
The bottom line across the three countries: no blanket "Hitzefrei" (heat holiday) exists for office workers. But the legal and practical obligations on employers are tightening — unevenly, and often triggered by specific temperature thresholds.
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