TUC Launches 1,000 Workplace Heat Safety Inspections Across UK

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has launched a nationwide inspection initiative involving over 1,000 trade union health and safety representatives to assess workplace conditions amid the UK's third heatwave this summer. The TUC warns that working in extreme heat can cause dehydration, fainting, muscle cramps, heat stress, sunstroke, and even skin cancer, especially for outdoor workers. The union is urging employers to implement protective measures such as keeping workplaces cool, allowing flexible working hours to avoid peak heat, providing shaded areas, relaxing dress codes, and offering sun protection. Currently, the UK lacks a maximum legal working temperature, though the Health and Safety Executive's code advises a minimum workplace temperature of 16°C; the TUC is calling for the introduction of maximum temperature guidelines, proposing work stop above 30°C or 27°C for strenuous jobs. The government has committed to reviewing health and safety guidance to better address extreme temperatures, a move welcomed by the TUC as critical given recent record high temperatures and the accelerating impacts of climate change. This initiative reflects growing concern about workers' safety and the need for climate-proofed workplaces in the UK.