Heat at work is not just a matter of comfort. When temperatures become too high, the risk of dehydration, weakness and other health problems increases, whilst concentration and productivity decline. However, until now, health and safety regulations have not specified a maximum temperature at which work may be carried out. That is set to change.
From 11 January 2027, new rules on high temperatures in the workplace will come into force. For the first time, the regulations will specify precise temperature thresholds; if these are exceeded, the employer will be obliged to take specific measures, and in some cases work will not be permitted.
What will change from 11 January?
The most significant change is that the current regulations do not specify a single maximum temperature above which work is automatically prohibited. Instead, the employer is obliged to ensure appropriate working conditions for employees and to protect their health, including from the effects of high temperatures.
28°C does not mean ‘the end of the working day’
What temperatures will apply?
It is worth noting the difference between the threshold at which an employer must take action and the temperature at which it becomes unacceptable to carry out work.
1. Indoor work
If the temperature indoors exceeds 28°C, the employer will be required to implement appropriate technical measures to limit the rise in temperature – provided that this is technologically feasible.
If this is not possible, appropriate organisational measures will need to be put in place.In the case of heavy indoor work, a lower threshold will apply – the temperature must not exceed 25°C.
At the same time, 35°C will be the maximum temperature for indoor work. Exceeding this limit will, as a general rule, result in a ban on work. This means that a temperature above 28°C will not automatically necessitate the suspension of all work – it will, however, require an appropriate response from the employer.
2. Work in the open air
In the case of outdoor work, the employer will have to take appropriate organisational measures as soon as the temperature exceeds 25°C.
For heavy work carried out in the open air, an additional restriction applies – the temperature must not exceed 32°C.
In practice, therefore, the new regulations introduce different rules depending on the type of work and where it is carried out. One threshold will trigger the employer’s obligation to take action, whilst another will mean that work cannot be carried out.
Employers should prepare in advance
What should an employer do before the regulations come into force?
The new regulations mean that the response to hot weather should not be improvised only when temperatures start to rise sharply. The employer should determine in advance how the company will proceed in high-temperature conditions.
In practice, this primarily involves analysing the conditions at individual workstations and preparing measures to minimise the impact of high temperatures on employees’ health. These may include both technical measures – such as those designed to limit temperature rises – and organisational measures, tailored to the nature of the work and the prevailing conditions.
Organisational measures should be discussed with employees through the health and safety committee. If the employer does not have such a committee, the measures will be determined in accordance with the procedure set out in the Labour Code, after consulting the doctor responsible for the employees’ preventive healthcare.
Once the consultation process has been completed, the employer will also be obliged to inform employees of the measures adopted in the manner customary at the workplace in question.
Did you know that…
high temperatures can affect not only how you feel, but also health and safety at work?
Dehydration, fatigue and a loss of concentration can increase the risk of making mistakes, particularly when carrying out work that requires attention, physical exertion or the operation of machinery. Therefore, the new regulations do not focus solely on ensuring thermal comfort – their primary aim is to reduce risks to workers’ health.
It is also worth bearing in mind that the values specified in the new regulations relate to high temperatures resulting from weather conditions. They should not be equated with temperatures resulting from the specific nature of a technological process.
What does this mean in practice?
For employers, the forthcoming change means, above all, the need to prepare procedures for hot days in advance. It is worth checking which workstations are most exposed to high temperatures, what technical solutions can be implemented, and what organisational measures can be taken should these thresholds be exceeded.
For employees, however, the new regulations mean clearly defined temperature limits and specific obligations on the part of the employer, designed to minimise the impact of heat on health and safety at work.
Summary
Until now, the regulations did not specify a maximum temperature above which it was unacceptable to carry out work indoors. From 11 January 2027, the rules will be more detailed:
- 28°C – if the temperature in a room exceeds this level, appropriate technical or organisational measures must be put in place,
- 25°C – once this temperature is exceeded in an open-air environment, the employer must implement appropriate organisational measures,
- 35°C – the maximum temperature in a workplace; once this is exceeded, work may not be carried out, subject to the exceptions specified in the regulations,
- 32°C – the maximum temperature for heavy work carried out in an open-air environment.
The new regulations are intended to ensure that responding to high temperatures is not only an obligation arising from general health and safety principles, but also an action based on specific thresholds set out in the regulations.
Legal basis
Regulation of the Minister for Family, Labour and Social Policy of 9 July 2026 amending the Regulation on general health and safety at work provisions (Journal of Laws of 2026, item 927).