As Heat Wave Breaks Records, 400,000 Outdoor Workers Face Deadly Risks Across Europe

The death toll from extreme heat in Austria alone reached roughly 1,100 people in 2024 — a figure that, year after year, exceeds the number of traffic fatalities, the Samariterbund reports. Elderly people, children, and especially those who must work outdoors are most vulnerable. With temperatures set to hit 40 degrees Celsius in parts of Central Europe, meteorologists warn this could become the longest heat wave since record-keeping began, challenging the all-time high of 40.5°C set in 2013.

Austria’s state weather service has issued its highest warning level for large swaths of the northeast. Yet for the 400,000 people employed outdoors across the country, a legal right to “heat-free time” does not exist. A new regulation that took effect at the start of 2026 does require employers to conduct risk assessments and implement protective measures once heat warning level 2 is reached — when the felt temperature exceeds 30°C. But enforcement remains patchy.

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Authorities conducted roughly 700 inspections and found 491 violations. The construction workers’ holiday and severance fund steps in when temperatures hit 32.5°C, allowing workers to down tools and receive 60 percent of their lost wages. In summer 2024, one in four construction workers already took advantage of that rule. Still, Josef Muchitsch, head of the Bau-Holz union, is pushing for mandatory heat-free time to kick in as early as 30°C.

The early-morning start times that many construction sites adopt to beat the heat are creating their own tensions. Some sites begin as early as 5 a.m., drawing noise complaints from nearby residents. Police have been called out multiple times. Major builders like STRABAG and Porr have turned to company-internal cooling measures rather than waiting for regulatory triggers.

Germany’s approach uses a graduated system. There too, no general right to heat-free time exists. Employers are expected to take initial steps — such as sun protection or staggered working hours — once indoor temperatures reach 26°C. At 30°C, protective measures become mandatory: drinks, ventilation, and shading must be provided. When the mercury climbs to 35°C, rooms without air conditioning are deemed unfit for work.

Municipalities are finding flexible solutions. In Osnabrück, garbage collection crews now start their shifts at 5:30 a.m. during the heat wave. Health authorities recommend rescheduling heavy labour to the cooler morning hours. Sun protection is advised when the UV index reaches 3, and becomes compulsory at index 8.

Switzerland’s building firms have also shifted to earlier start times and mandatory neck protection. At Kibag, heavy physical labour is reduced, and every worker must wear a neck flap. The country’s infrastructure is taking a beating: the Swiss Federal Railways report track deformations, overhead line failures, and breakdowns of train air-conditioning systems.

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In Italy’s Trentino region, the provincial government is urging businesses to follow updated heat-protection guidelines, particularly in agriculture, construction, and logistics. Where risk is high, work can be suspended, with short-time work benefits available.

The toll across all these measures is sobering. For the hundreds of thousands who work under the open sky, the current heat wave is more than uncomfortable — it is lethal.

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