The mercury is rising, and so are the risks. The Met Office has issued an amber heat warning, pushing employers to dust off guidance that was gathering digital dust. Labour unions are screaming that the advice, which includes staying hydrated and taking breaks, is as useful as a fan in a furnace.
Sources confirm that on construction sites and in warehouses, workers are being pushed to their limits. One roofer, who asked not to be named, told me: "It's like working on a hot tin roof.
The cats have it easy." The Health and Safety Executive says employers have a duty to manage heat stress. But in the real world, where productivity targets are chasing deadlines, the guidance often becomes a suggestion.
Uncovered documents from a major logistics firm show internal memos urging line managers to "monitor workers for signs of heat exhaustion" but offering no cooling measures.
The union Unite has called for legally binding maximum temperatures. The government, meanwhile, has issued a statement urging "common sense."
Common sense in a heatwave is worth about as much as a snowflake in a furnace. Workers are stuck between a hot sun and a hard place. The forecast shows no respite.
The bodies may not pile up, but the exploitation will. And as always, someone is counting the cost.
