Unions say workers should be allowed to down tools during heatwaves
During the 2022 heatwave, when temperatures reached 40C, the now-deputy prime minister called for employers to control workplace temperatures through measures like extra breaks and flexible working.
Health secretary Wes Streeting and other Labour figures have also previously supported legislation for maximum workplace temperatures.
Unions GMB and Unite are reportedly in talks with ministers to establish a legal limit of 27C for manual jobs, though the Health and Safety Executive's new guidance is not expected to set maximum temperature rules.
Other European countries like Greece, Spain, Italy, and Germany already have maximum working temperatures or mandatory breaks during summer months.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
10 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Wildfires sweep Portugal, Spain and Greece
Apocalyptic scenes have spread across Europe as dramatic wildfires bathe the countryside sickly orange, with blazes ravaging Portugal, Spain and Greece. One horrifying photo taken in the Sernancelhe district of Viseu, Portugal, shows a raging inferno and dark clouds of smoke threatening to completely submerge a house in flames. The sky is completely amber as an angry blaze continues to tear its way through the forest, making the air thick with smog. It comes as another heatwave pushes temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) across parts of Europe. Global warming is giving the Mediterranean region hotter, drier summers, scientists say, with wildfires surging each year and sometimes whipping up into 'whirls'. Spain was fighting 14 major fires. Temperatures were expected to climb over the weekend. 'Today will once again be a very tough day, with an extreme risk of new fires,' Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on X. The national weather agency AEMET warned of extreme fire risk in most of the country, including where the largest blazes were burning in the north and west. A heatwave which brought temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) on several days this month was expected to last through Monday. Fires in the Galicia region forced the closure of several highways. The high speed rail line connecting it to Spain's capital, Madrid, remained suspended. The fires in Spain this year have burned 158,000 hectares or 610 square miles, according to the European Union ´s European Forest Fire Information System. That is an area roughly as big as metropolitan London . Spanish authorities reported the death of a 37-year-old volunteer firefighter who sustained severe burns in an area north of Madrid this week. It was the third reported death in Spain due to the recent fires. Thousands of people were evacuated from their homes in the region and still can not return. Temperatures reached 44 C (111 F) in some regions, according to meteorology service AEMET, with minimal rainfall and windy conditions expected to exacerbate the fire risk. In both Spain and Portugal it was the Feast of the Assumption, a major Catholic holiday usually marked by family gatherings and religious processions. A wildfire in Greece burned out of control for a fourth day on the island of Chios, prompting several more overnight evacuations. Two water-dropping planes and two helicopters were operating in the north of the island in the eastern Aegean Sea, where local authorities said a lull in high winds was helping firefighters early Friday. Following a series of large fires in western Greece earlier this week, the Fire Service was on alert Friday outside Athens and nearby areas in the south of the country where adverse weather conditions elevated the fire risk. The fire service said a major blaze outside the southern port city of Patras has been contained on the outskirts of urban areas after a large-scale deployment. Three people have been arrested in connection with the fire, which authorities said may have been deliberately set. A man also died in a fire in Albania, while a 61-year-old Hungarian seasonal worker is suspected to have died of heat-related causes while picking fruit in Lleida, in Spain's eastern Catalonia region. The spiritual leader of the world´s Orthodox Christians Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew expressed solidarity on Friday with the victims of wildfires in southern Europe during prayers for the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, an important religious holiday for Orthodox Christians. A drop in wind speeds on Thursday allowed firefighting aircraft in the three hard-hit countries to step up water drops, concentrating on existing fire zones rather than chasing fast-moving fronts.
BreakingNews.ie
an hour ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Spain, Portugal and Greece fight wildfires as heatwave expected to last for days
Firefighters in Spain, Portugal and Greece are continuing to battle wildfires on a public holiday in all three countries as persistent hot, dry conditions challenged efforts to contain the blazes. Spain is fighting 14 major fires, according to Virginia Barcones, general director of emergency services. Advertisement Temperatures were expected to climb over the weekend. This recent photo taken from a French Canadair water bomber by the Securite Civile shows a wildfire in Spain (Securite Civile via AP) 'Today will once again be a very tough day, with an extreme risk of new fires,' Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on X. The national weather agency AEMET warned of extreme fire risk in most of the country, including where the largest blazes were burning in the north and west. A heatwave which brought temperatures exceeding 40C on several days this month was expected to last until Monday. Advertisement Fires in the Galicia region forced the closure of several highways. The high speed rail line connecting it to Spain's capital Madrid remained suspended. The fires in Spain this year have burned 158,000 hectares or 610 square miles, according to the European Union's European Forest Fire Information System. That is an area roughly as big as metropolitan London. Advertisement A fire approaches a farm during a wildfire in Santa Baia De Montes, north-western Spain (Lalo R Villar/AP) In both Spain and Portugal it was the Feast of the Assumption, a major Catholic holiday usually marked by family gatherings and religious processions. In Portugal, nearly 4,000 firefighters were battling fires on Friday. Seven major fires were active. Authorities extended the state of alert until Sunday, amid high temperatures expected to last through the weekend. Advertisement A wildfire in Greece burned out of control for a fourth day on the island of Chios, prompting several more overnight evacuations. Two water-dropping planes and two helicopters were operating in the north of the island in the eastern Aegean Sea, where local authorities said a lull in high winds was helping firefighters early on Friday. Following a series of large fires in western Greece earlier this week, the fire service was on alert on Friday outside Athens and nearby areas in the south of the country where adverse weather conditions elevated the fire risk. The spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew expressed solidarity on Friday with the victims of wildfires in southern Europe during prayers for the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, an important religious holiday for Orthodox Christians. Advertisement
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Rolls Royce mystery forces Plymouth Tinside Lido closure
A Devon seafront lido has been closed to swimmers to allow a Rolls Royce car to use the City Council said Tinside Lido, on the Hoe, was shut to swimmers on Friday for an "activity hosted by a prestigious British brand" with more details expected to be released later in the gathered on Hoe Road, which overlooks the pool, where they could see a black Rolls Royce car with a silver bonnet on a submerged plinth in the water with a film crew around the outside of the council apologised to people keen to swim in temperatures forecast to go above 20C (68F) but explained that it was "a unique and exciting opportunity to showcase Plymouth". 'It's brilliant' Among those watching was Doug Cooper who said his wife had been hoping to go for a said he thought the situation was "a bit of fun and not a problem".He added: "It might have disrupted some people's plans but, at the end of the day, I think it's brilliant."Dana Stallard said she swam in the lido every weekend when she was growing up in Plymouth and thought what was happening was "wonderful" for the town."I think it brings holidaymakers down and everybody's out looking at it so it's nice to see what's going on," she added.
