Employee exposure to heat must be Limited

Working in the summer heat can strain the body, reduce performance, and increase the risk of illness and accidents in the workplace, even in otherwise healthy employees. The risk is higher if the employee has metabolic diseases, for example. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the employer must limit the employee's exposure to thermal conditions that harm or endanger safety or health. Work is considered to be work in a hot environment when the air temperature in the working environment exceeds 28 °C.

In summer, all outdoor workers, such as asphalt and roof workers, as well as greenhouse and garden workers, can be exposed to intense heat.  Due to the structures and technical solutions of many other workplaces as well, the indoor temperature can rise very high if the air conditioning in the building is not adequate.

It is the employer's responsibility to identify the hazards associated with thermal conditions. If the thermal conditions cause harm or danger, their significance to the health and safety of the employee must be assessed in the workplace.  Technical measures are the primary means that should be taken to ensure that the temperature in the workplace remains below 28 °C. If, despite the technical measures, the temperature in the workplace exceeds 28°C due to heat, the time the employees are exposed to heat must be limited. During summer heatwaves, sufficient breaks, hydration, and possible job rotation can reduce employees' heat load.
 
Information on the health effects of thermal conditions on the employee can be found on the occupational safety and health authority's website.