German Workplaces Face New Heat Obligations as Healthcare Sector Warns of Overheating Crisis
28.06.2026 - 22:35:08 | boerse-global.de
As a heatwave pushes temperatures toward 41°C in Hesse, the legal obligations for employers to protect workers from excessive heat are coming under renewed scrutiny. While doctors’ associations accuse the federal government of failing on heat protection, the focus is shifting to the concrete steps companies must take under the German Workplace Ordinance.
The Arbeitsstättenregel ASR A3.5 establishes a clear three-stage ladder for indoor temperatures. Up to 26°C, cooling is merely recommended. Between 26°C and 30°C, employers must assess suitable measures. From 30°C upward, effective steps to reduce the thermal load become mandatory. Rooms exceeding 35°C are considered fundamentally unsuitable for work, with exceptions only permitted if special protective gear such as heat-resistant clothing or regular cooling-off periods are provided. The rulebook prioritises technical solutions like air conditioning over organisational ones such as shifting working hours. Since last year, an additional regulation — ASR A5.1 — covers specific requirements for outdoor workplaces.
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The health sector is particularly exposed. According to the Marburger Bund, only one-third of hospitals have air-conditioned patient rooms. The German Association of General Practitioners (Hausärzteverband) criticises that a package of measures promised three years ago by the federal government has still not been implemented. Doctors are also demanding adequate reimbursement for heat-protection counselling consultations.
In North Rhine-Westphalia and Thuringia, care homes report high staff strain. With many facilities lacking air conditioning, they fall back on strategic ventilation, fans, and additional hydration offers. The Nursing Chamber of North Rhine-Westphalia is calling for binding heat-action plans. In isolated cases, defective cooling systems have already led to complaints with labour inspectorates — for instance at a Vienna bakery branch where internal temperatures hit 36°C.
Beyond heat, the Workplace Ordinance via ASR A3.4 also regulates lighting. For concentrated desk work, the standard prescribes 500 lux on the work surface. Natural daylight always takes priority over artificial lighting. To prevent glare, the regulation requires protective devices. External shading systems such as louvre blinds or textile screens are significantly more effective than internal blinds because they intercept solar radiation before it reaches the window pane. Modern control systems adjust the light incidence dynamically to the sun’s position.
All occupational safety measures rest on the mandatory risk assessment (Gefährdungsbeurteilung). The Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) published an updated handbook in May detailing the process steps under the Occupational Safety Act. The aim is to prevent accidents and occupational diseases, which in the past have caused production losses running into billions of euros.
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Separately, there is movement on working-time legislation. A planned law would allow more flexible hours for the tourism industry from 1 January 2027, with daily deployment times of up to 13 hours possible. Unions have already voiced sharp criticism.
The Federal Labour Court also underscored the importance of formal procedures. At the beginning of April it clarified that dismissals without a valid mass redundancy notice remain ineffective — and that this defect cannot be remedied retroactively.
