No more heat work. Government introduces hard temperature limits in companies

The heat wave flooding Poland again opens the discussion on working conditions at utmost temperatures. erstwhile thermometers point to more than 30 degrees Celsius and offices and production halls turn into saunas, many workers ask themselves about their rights. The existing government already imposes circumstantial obligations on employers, and severe penalties, including imprisonment, endanger to ignore them. However, this is only the beginning of change. The Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy is preparing a real revolution, which will introduce hard, limitable temperatures in workplaces from 2026. For millions of Poles, this means no more work in health-threatening conditions. Employers have small time to prepare for the upcoming strict requirements.

The heat in the office and on the construction site. What are the current obligations of the employer?

Before fresh stricter regulations come into force, workers are not left unprotected. The current law already defines precisely how an employer must take care of the crew during heat. A key paper is the 1996 regulation of the Council of Ministers on preventive meals and drinks. According to his records, providing cold drinks is not good will, but absolute obligation.

When does an employer gotta act? The rules set clear limits. The work to supply free drinks arises erstwhile the temperature in working rooms exceeds 28 degrees Celsius. For open-space work, for example on construction, this threshold is even lower and is 25 degrees Celsius. Importantly, the law does not specify the kind or quantity of drinks, but they must be available to workers throughout the full work shift and adapted to their needs. Ignore this work is an offence against workers' rights and may consequence in a mandate of between PLN 1,000 and PLN 2,000 imposed by the State Labour Inspectorate.

Special protection for the chosen. Who can't work at utmost temperatures?

Polish labour law is peculiarly protected by certain groups of workers for whom high-temperature work is highly dangerous. This list is headed by Youth workers, i.e. persons aged 15 and not over 18. In accordance with the 2004 Regulation of the Council of Ministers, they are not allowed to work in rooms where air temperature exceeds 30 degrees Celsiusand the comparative humidity of the air is higher than 65 percent.

Although there is not yet a statutory maximum temperature for another workers, experts in the field of Safety and Occupational Hygiene (Health and Safety) have set recommended limits. Physical work in production halls is considered to be dangerous above 28 degrees Celsius and work in circumstantial conditions (e.g. in steelworks) should not be carried out at a temperature higher than 26 degrees. In turn for office workers, performing intellectual tasks at the computer, the limit of comfort and safety is 30 degrees Celsius. Overshooting these values, although not yet a formal violation of the law, may be the basis for claims in the event of a deterioration in health.

Punishment is not just a fine. erstwhile is the employer facing jail?

Many employers underestimate the issue of heat, treating it as a temporary inconvenience. This is simply a serious mistake that can have dramatic consequences, far beyond the mandate from the State Labour Inspection. In utmost cases, ignoring OSH rules can be classified as a crime.

The penal code in Article 220 clearly states: "Who, being liable for wellness and safety at work, does not fulfil the resulting work and thus exposes the individual to the immediate danger of failure of life or severe injury to health, is to be sentenced to imprisonment up to 3 years." This means that if the employer knowingly fails to supply the right conditions – for example, he will not supply water or introduce additional breaks, and the individual will have a heat stroke or heart attack as a consequence of overheating – the case may go to the prosecutor's office. To prove specified negligence may consequence not only in a advanced fine, but besides unconditional imprisonment. This is the most serious argument in favour of taking the heat duties with the highest seriousness.

Breakthrough since 2026. Government introduces maximum temperature in the workplace

The existing provisions, although important, left area for interpretation. But this is about to change. The Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy finalises work on a fresh regulation that will introduce hard and unambiguous temperature limits. task to enter into force January 1, 2026, is simply a real breakthrough in the protection of labour rights in Poland.

Under the proposed rules, circumstantial limit values will appear. The main assumptions are:

• The maximum temperature in the operating spaces shall not exceed 35 degrees Celsiusunless this is impossible due to the technological processes used.
• For workers working hard, generating energy expenditure above 1500 kcal for men and 1000 kcal for women, the limit will be reduced to 32 degrees Celsius.

The draft regulation will shortly come to further agreement, including in the Standing Committee on Digitalisation and will then go through the full legislative process. Employers so have little than 2 years to adapt their companies to fresh requirements. This may mean investing in air conditioning, ventilation or reorganization of production processes. For employees, it is simply a historical change that will give them a powerful tool to fight for safe working conditions.

What if an employer violates laws? The law is on your side.

Knowledge of their rights is the first step in enforcing them. If the temperature in your workplace exceeds acceptable standards and your employer does not respond, you are not vulnerable. The first step should be to talk to a supervisor or HR department and to trust on existing regulations. frequently this is adequate to force water supply or additional breaks.

However, if the intervention fails, the substance must be notified to the State Labour Inspection (PIP). This can be done anonymously, and inspectors are required to carry out inspections at the company. Remember that heat is not only discomfort – it is simply a real threat to wellness and life, which can lead to dehydration, heat stroke and consequently permanent heart or tense strategy problems. It is so in the interests of both workers and liable employers to guarantee safe conditions on hot days.