The construction sector calls for new labor regulations in the face of extreme heat

France – 15.07.2026: After the third heatwave of this summer, work on construction sites is once again at the center of debate. Employees, construction companies and trade unions are demanding that heat protection not be organized only in exceptional cases. Earlier start times, longer recovery breaks, fewer physically demanding tasks during the midday heat and better contractual coverage in the event of interruptions are being discussed.

Workers in building construction and civil engineering are particularly affected, as they work outdoors, move heavy loads and can often only protect themselves to a limited extent from direct solar radiation. According to state authorities, high temperatures considerably increase the risk of accidents. Concentration and reaction capacity can decline, while dehydration, exhaustion and heat-related circulatory problems become more likely.

Employers already have specific obligations. They must record heat exposure in their risk assessment and adapt work to the situation. This includes modified working hours, avoiding particularly demanding tasks during the hottest hours, sufficiently long breaks, shaded rest areas and suitable work clothing. If protective measures are not sufficient, activity on the construction site must be interrupted.

Drinking water must also be provided on construction sites. If there is no running water, at least three liters per worker per working day are required; in the case of particularly strenuous physical work, more may be necessary. The rules apply not only to employed construction workers, but also, under certain conditions, to self-employed workers and business owners who work on the site themselves.

Since June 2025, requirements for protection against intense heat have been expressly set out in labor legislation. Companies must adopt graduated preventive measures when official heat warnings are issued and strengthen their protective measures as exposure increases. On construction sites, both the general health and safety plan and the specific safety plan must take into account the risks arising from intense heat.

Therefore, the current debate goes beyond compliance with minimum standards. Workers’ representatives advocate predictable summer rules so that teams do not react only when temperatures are already dangerous. At the same time, employers point to construction deadlines, costs and the practical difficulty of rescheduling work in densely built-up urban areas or when it involves noisy night work.

During the summer season, state occupational health and safety bodies are strengthening inspections and advice in particularly exposed sectors. In the event of work stoppages during high levels of official alert, construction companies may, under certain conditions, resort to compensation and indemnification mechanisms. However, the specific organization of each construction site remains decisive: heat protection must be prepared before work begins and agreed with employees.