First published: June 27th, 2018
Last updated: July 14th, 2026
As the country enjoys blue skies, unbroken sunshine, and record temperatures, it seems a lot of employees in Ireland are wondering what temperature the mercury must hit for it to be legally too hot to work.
In fact, the Labour Party recently called on the Government to introduce new legislation to protect workers during extreme heat, including legally defined maximum temperature limits.
As an employer, it's important to be aware of how hot temperatures can impact your legal duty to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of your employees.
Health and Safety Authority guidance
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has historically stated that there is ‘no maximum allowable temperature’ under Health & Safety legislation in Ireland.
As a result, both employers and employees are advised to exercise ‘common sense’ in all workplace Health & Safety matters.
What does the law say about maximum working temperatures?
While Ireland currently has minimum working temperatures in place, there are no legally defined maximum workplace temperature limits. The minimum working temperature for indoor sedentary work is at least 17.5°C, or 16°C for indoor work involving light physical effort.
Despite the fact that there is currently no maximum temperature specified in Health & Safety legislation, however, this does not mean that working at all temperatures will be deemed acceptable. Common sense must dictate whether the temperature is safe for your staff to work in.
Excessive heat from persistent sun should be prevented by external blinds, low emission glass, or other appropriate equipment. A thermometer should be to hand to allow temperatures to be monitored.
Article: Heatwave: What you need to do to protect your staff
Health & Safety legislation provides that the temperature in the workplace must be appropriate for the work activity taking place.
In determining what’s appropriate, consider the following:
- The effects of wearing a uniform or protective clothing required for certain roles.
- Whether the work is sedentary.
- Whether there are radiant heat sources or humidity factors.
Workplaces with operations that expose employees to very high or uncomfortable temperatures may require cooling systems depending on individual circumstances.
Hot tips
By following the guidelines below, you can follow a common-sense approach to dealing with any heatwave-related issues:
- Ensure good management/staff relations through clear communication and agreement with employees on appropriate measures to be taken.
- Monitor air conditioning, keep windows open, provide fans and generally allow a supply of fresh air to circulate around the workplace.
- Ensure there’s an adequate supply of cold water available.
- Provide appropriate rest breaks and job rotation if necessary.
- Ensure outdoor staff are aware of the risks of working in direct sun and that they wear the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and apply sunscreen as necessary.
- In office environments, consider relaxing the dress code for employees’ comfort.
- Ensure outdoor staff do not use high temperatures as justification for removing required safety equipment such as hard hats and steel toe capped boots.
Expert help with risk assessments
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