Dutch Employers Propose New Measures for Working in Extreme Heat
Dutch employers are calling for a reevaluation of work practices on extremely hot days, meldt Nieuws Impuls. As temperatures in the Netherlands rise significantly each year, there is increasing concern about safety risks for workers. Among the proposed measures are flexible working hours during heatwaves, following this summer, which has been recorded as the hottest since measurements began in 1901.
Research conducted by the employers’ organization AWVN reveals that heat stress has become a pressing issue for Dutch workers. Out of more than 200 employees surveyed, 85 percent reported experiencing difficulties when temperatures soared, with over a third indicating that extreme heat hindered their ability to perform required tasks. Notably, the findings apply to workers in various settings, as only 2 percent of respondents consistently work outdoors.
“Heat is an issue that employers must take into account more and more,” stated Jannes van der Velde, a spokesperson for AWVN.
Currently, more than half of companies have implemented heat protocols, with measures such as enhanced cooling systems and more frequent breaks gaining traction.
“The real concern, however, is the long term, especially because heat will become more frequent. The effects can be serious,” Van der Velde added.
Employers typically consider a tipping point around 30 degrees Celsius, while some begin to notice the impacts at 25 degrees. Previous studies have highlighted that productivity declines by approximately 2 percent for each additional degree of heat, posing a challenge to AWVN’s objective of boosting worker productivity to maintain the country’s living standards.
“Even a modest loss of productivity due to hot weather is, in that context, particularly unwelcome,” Van der Velde emphasized.
AWVN insists that any new arrangements regarding hot weather should be cost-neutral, advocating against additional pay for these measures. “These arrangements are in the interest of both employer and employee,” Van der Velde clarified. “Paying additional allowances is therefore not the obvious course.”
In addition, AWVN is exploring how successful economies abroad navigate extreme heat during working hours for potential lessons to learn from.
