Polish employers have several months to prepare for new workplace heat regulations that will introduce maximum temperatures for performing certain types of work and require companies to take protective measures at lower thresholds.
The regulation was signed by Family, Labour and Social Policy Minister Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk on 9 July 2026 and published in Poland’s Journal of Laws the following day. It will enter into force on 11 January 2027.
The rules are the result of months of debate about the need for stronger protection during heatwaves, the cost of adapting workplaces and the potential impact on business operations.
For the first time, Polish occupational health and safety regulations will explicitly define temperatures above which work must be temporarily suspended. The maximum will be 35°C inside workplaces and 32°C for heavy physical work carried out outdoors.
The restrictions will apply only while the temperature is actually above the relevant threshold. Employers will not be required to suspend work solely because weather forecasts predict that the limit may be exceeded.
Lower temperatures will trigger protective measures
The new rules do more than establish maximum temperatures. They also introduce lower thresholds at which employers must take action to reduce employees’ exposure to heat.
When the temperature caused by weather conditions exceeds 28°C in an indoor workplace, the employer will have to introduce technical measures that reduce or limit further temperature increases. Where technical measures are not possible, appropriate organisational arrangements will be required.
For heavy physical work indoors, the threshold will be 25°C. The regulation defines this category by reference to energy expenditure during a working shift: more than 1,500 kcal for men and 1,000 kcal for women.
For all types of outdoor work, employers will be required to introduce organisational safeguards when the temperature exceeds 25°C.
Possible measures include additional breaks, shorter working hours, employee rotation and changes to working schedules that allow physically demanding tasks to be completed outside the hottest part of the day. Technical solutions may include air conditioning, ventilation, fans and equipment that limits heat entering the workplace.
For outdoor workers, employers may also need to provide shaded rest areas, canopies or access to air-conditioned facilities.
Excessive heat affects safety and productivity
The consequences of high workplace temperatures extend beyond employee discomfort.
Overheating can slow the pace of work, reduce concentration and increase fatigue, distraction and the number of mistakes. These effects may also raise the risk of workplace accidents, particularly where employees operate machinery, work at height or perform physically demanding tasks.
Prolonged exposure to extreme heat can result in exhaustion, dehydration and, in serious cases, heatstroke. For employers, this creates a risk of increased sickness absence, disruption to work schedules and additional organisational costs.
The new regulation is intended to encourage employers to treat heat as a workplace risk that should be assessed and managed rather than as a temporary inconvenience.
Companies should begin reviewing working conditions
The months before the rules take effect provide businesses with an opportunity to review their current heat-management procedures.
Not every company will need to make expensive investments. In many workplaces, organisational changes may provide effective protection, particularly when high temperatures occur only during limited periods.
Employers may consider introducing additional rest breaks, shifting working hours to the morning or evening, rotating employees between tasks or temporarily reducing the duration of physically demanding work.
Where organisational measures alone are insufficient, businesses may need to invest in air conditioning, improved ventilation, fans, thermal insulation or systems limiting direct sunlight.
The appropriate response will depend on the design of the workplace, the nature of the tasks, the physical effort required and whether the work is performed indoors or outdoors.
Construction, agriculture and heavy industry face major challenges
The regulations will have the greatest impact on sectors in which employees are regularly exposed to high temperatures.
This includes industries where heat is generated by the production process, such as steelmaking, foundries, glass production and some areas of food manufacturing.
The rules will also be particularly important for businesses whose employees work outdoors, including construction, agriculture, road maintenance, logistics and parts of the hospitality industry.
Some employers may face significant adaptation costs. Construction companies, for example, could need more air-conditioned site containers or shaded rest facilities. Agricultural businesses may need to reorganise working hours during harvesting periods, while industrial plants may require additional ventilation or cooling equipment.
Smaller businesses may find the transition particularly demanding because they have fewer financial and organisational resources. Early preparation could therefore reduce the risk of having to make costly changes immediately before the regulations take effect.
Protective measures must be discussed with employees
The regulation requires employers to consult employees on organisational measures intended to minimise the health effects of high temperatures.
Where a workplace health and safety committee operates, the consultation should take place through that body. In other organisations, the employer will be required to consult employees under the procedure set out in the Labour Code and seek the opinion of the doctor responsible for preventive occupational healthcare.
After the consultation is completed, employees must be informed about the arrangements adopted in the manner normally used within the organisation.
The requirement is intended to ensure that heat-management procedures reflect actual working conditions. Employees performing particular tasks will often have the clearest understanding of when heat exposure is greatest and which operational changes would provide meaningful protection.
Some essential activities will be exempt
The regulation includes exceptions to the requirement to suspend work after the maximum temperature is exceeded.
These exemptions are intended to preserve access to essential public services, protect national and public security and ensure the continuity of patient care. Some rules will also not apply to particular categories of work or public-service officers.
The existence of exemptions does not remove employers’ general responsibility to provide safe and hygienic working conditions. Organisations covered by an exception will still need to assess heat-related risks and introduce reasonable safeguards wherever possible.
Heat management becomes a strategic business issue
Work during periods of extreme heat is likely to become an increasingly important issue for Polish employers as severe weather events become more frequent.
Companies that approach the new requirements strategically may find it easier to comply with the regulation while also improving productivity, reducing absence and creating safer working environments.
Preparation should begin with an assessment of workplace temperatures, the identification of particularly exposed roles and a review of existing technical and organisational safeguards.
Employers can then establish procedures specifying who monitors temperatures, when protective measures are activated, how employees are informed and under what circumstances work must be suspended.
The new rules should therefore be viewed not only as an additional compliance obligation but also as an opportunity to build workplaces that are better prepared for changing climatic conditions.
Based on commentary by Anna Sikorska, an expert with the Safe at Work Coalition and Director of Human Resources and Administration at PW Krystian.
