By Irene Wang and Satoshi Sugiyama
TOKYO, July 7 (Reuters) - Japan endured another day of a searing heatwave on Monday, with temperatures soaring to the highest this year in Tokyo and leaving those having to work outside vulnerable to the risk of heatstroke.
Heatstroke alerts were issued in 30 of Japan's 47 prefectures, the highest this year, after the country suffered its hottest June on record.
The extreme heat, which has become a norm in summertime Japan, has turned into a major workplace hazard, prompting the government to roll out labour safety regulations from last month requiring companies to implement protection measures against heatstroke.
Employers are now required to ensure employees wear clothing that allows air to pass through easily, to install a ceiling to block sunlight and to provide a break space with air-conditioning or shade.
At an apartment construction site in Tokyo, where temperatures exceeded 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) for the first time this year on Monday, workers for Daito Trust Construction (1878.T), opens new tab donned puffy air-conditioned jackets equipped with cooling fans on their backs while at work.
The custom-made jacket, which the company developed with a construction supplies manufacturer, uses thermoelectric effects to enhance cooling and has been distributed to 1,500 workers.
"When I wear this vest, I don't sweat as much, so I don't lose physical strength," said 47-year-old construction worker Atsushi Mizutani.
Construction workers are particularly at risk of heatstroke. They accounted for nearly 20% of deaths or illnesses caused by heatstroke in the workplace in 2023, labour ministry data showed. The overall number of heatstroke cases at work more than doubled that year from a decade ago.
"In the past, we didn't wear air-conditioned jackets or anything like that and there weren't as many cases of people collapsing (due to heat stroke) as there are now," said Takami Okamura, 57, who has been a construction worker for 34 years.
"In recent years, air-conditioned jumpers and other such items have become a necessity, which makes me realise just how hot it gets."
Temperatures are expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius
Anna Loren
Monday 07 July 2025
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Greece has introduced mandatory work breaks in regions where temperatures are forecast to exceed 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), as a heatwave is set to grip the country until Thursday.
The labour ministry has ordered a halt to outdoor manual labour and food delivery services from midday to 5pm in central Greece and several islands.
Employers have also been advised to offer remote work options.
Despite the intense conditions, no emergency measures have been implemented in Athens.
The current hot spell comes after similar sweltering temperatures struck Europe, reaching 46C in part of Portugal.
Greek authorities say they are taking long-term steps to address the effects of climate change, including the deployment this summer of a record number of firefighters.
open image in galleryA man cools off at a beach near Athens (AP)
Last week, at least 5,000 tourists were forced to evacuate parts of Crete as a massive wildfire scorched forests and olive groves on the Greek island.
Around 230 firefighters, along with 46 engines and helicopters, rushed to tackle the blaze on Thursday.
It had broken out the day before in the forested hills near Lerapetra on the island’s southern coast.
People from villages including Achlia, Ferma, Agia Fotia and Koutsounari and surrounding tourist resorts and hotels were evacuated to Ierapetra’s indoor sports hall for shelter.
open image in galleryTourists drink water at the Parthenon in Athens as a heatwave engulfs parts of Europe (Getty)
Greece and other countries in the Mediterranean are in an area scientists have called “a wildfire hotspot”, with blazes common during hot and dry summers.
These have become more destructive in recent years, authorities say, due to a fast-changing climate.
Meanwhile, in Turkey last week, thousands fled wildfires as the country battled blazes in the Cesme and Odemis districts in the western coastal province of Izmir.
Winds hindered their efforts as the flames approached a main highway to Cesme, local TV footage showed, and thick smoke billowed over mountainous areas.
Evacuation orders were also issued for five communities south of Athens as a large wildfire, fanned by strong winds and exacerbated by Greece's first summer heatwave, raged near the capital.
As Temperatures Rise, European Workers Face a Looming Threat
The European Trade Union Confederation is urgently calling for a new directive to protect workers from the escalating dangers of extreme heat.
While the characters in Game of Thrones dreaded winter, in reality, the phrase “summer is coming” now serves as a stark warning of occupational hazards. This growing concern is amplified by the undeniable impact of climate change.
On 4 March, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) adopted a resolution outlining the content of a future directive aimed at preventing occupational heat risk. This is not the first time the ETUC has sought greater protection in this area. Heat poses significant social and environmental consequences, evident in recent events such as the wildfires in California last February, last summer’s heatwaves across Europe, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projections of continuously rising and intensifying temperatures in the coming decades.
The world of work is far from immune to these risks. Climate change, and the associated rise in temperatures, directly threatens workers’ health and safety. The International Labour Organization (ILO), in its latest report “Ensuring Safety and Health at Work in a Changing Climate,” has already issued a warning on this critical issue. The report indicates that 2.41 billion workers worldwide are exposed to excessive heat, with the European figure reaching 130 million. Crucially, foresight studies suggest these risks will continue to escalate.
Why the Delay in Action?
It is only a matter of time before news reports detail rising temperatures and their debilitating effects on workers. This begs an important question: why wait to act? Discussions surrounding excessive heat in the workplace often narrow the focus to fatalities. However, this creates a “tunnel vision” effect, addressing only the visible tip of a much larger iceberg. The real problem is far more extensive, encompassing a diverse range of short-term and long-term consequences. A clear example is the wide spectrum of health effects linked to excessive heat, including “heat stress, heatstroke, heat exhaustion, rhabdomyolysis, heat syncope, heat cramps, heat rash, cardiovascular disease, acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, and physical injury.” More recently, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) has identified eco-anxiety as an emerging occupational safety and health risk directly tied to rising temperatures.
Furthermore, while excessive heat primarily affects outdoor workers, other sectors are by no means unaffected. The same applies to individual worker characteristics, such as age, gender, or pre-existing health conditions, which can heighten vulnerability. Therefore, regulation must address both the common and differentiated needs that excessive heat creates. For instance, consider a worker performing duties outdoors where temperatures exceed 40°C. Now, imagine that same worker in an industrial laundry facility, where industrial irons reaching 150°C significantly elevate the working environment temperature. Finally, consider that worker to be 55 years of age and in the premenopausal stage. The conclusion is self-evident: as workers face varying levels of vulnerability, the protective measures in place should accommodate these differences.
A Comprehensive and Necessary Directive
The proposed Directive outlines adaptation tools aimed at reducing workers’ vulnerability to the risks posed by extreme heat, adopting a comprehensive perspective. Key aspects of the resolution include calls for establishing maximum working temperatures, while factoring in sectoral and personal conditions. It also advocates for mandatory heat risk assessments, which would necessitate a clear definition of heat stress. Additionally, it would be crucial to adopt more suitable risk assessment methods, such as Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), ensuring they are inclusive, given that the risk disproportionately affects vulnerable groups. Another proposed tool is the implementation of heat management plans, which would regulate responses to adverse weather conditions. Some countries, such as Spain, already have regulations requiring companies to communicate alerts issued by meteorological authorities.
Moreover, workers should be afforded specific rights, including health monitoring related to their individual vulnerability to extreme heat, and the right to receive training on this issue. They should also have the right to suspend work in the event of imminent risk, and even to receive social protection during work stoppages. It is worth noting that the resolution aligns with the logic of the Framework Directive on occupational health and safety by advocating the STOP approach, which prioritises: (1) Substituting or eliminating the risk where possible; (2) implementing Technical measures (e.g., cooling areas); (3) adopting Organisational measures (e.g., concentrating work during cooler hours); and (4) providing Personal protective equipment. Ultimately, the ETUC’s proposal is both necessary and appropriate. It seeks to adapt work to a specific and growing risk that increasingly affects workers, consistent with the EU legal framework for occupational health and safety, where emerging and unaddressed risks demand targeted regulatory action.
Examples to Follow and Gaps to be Filled
This proactive perspective has been adopted by some countries, such as Spain, which is committed to establishing a comprehensive regulation on the protection of workers against climate change-related risks. While this regulation is not yet in place, the government has pledged to approve it within the current year. Greece has also temporarily approved the suspension of outdoor work during periods of extreme temperatures. However, both measures were implemented as direct responses to specific climate change-related events.
Currently, regulations and measures on this topic are not harmonised across Europe. This places additional pressure on the European Commission, as some Member States will begin to acknowledge the risk and take action, while others will remain without specific protections. This lack of harmonised protection could be effectively addressed with such a Directive. Furthermore, it is important to recognise that other extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods, and heatwaves, also have occupational health and safety components that must be addressed in the near future.
Looking ahead, this problem will only continue to grow. The Mediterranean region, in particular, is expected to experience significant temperature increases. This means that, over time, the consequences for workers’ health and safety will become more severe, making efforts to address them increasingly complex. Both the EU and its Member States must adopt proactive and coordinated action instead of merely reactive approaches.
Marouane Laabbas-el-Guennouni
Marouane Laabbas-el-Guennouni is a researcher at the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI), focused on the impacts of climate change and the ecological transition on occupational safety and health.
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