Heat waves are becoming more frequent, longer, and more extreme — and employers are obligated, both legally and as a matter of basic decency, to protect their workforce. A heat protection plan is no longer a luxury but basic workplace preparedness for summer.
What Heat Actually Does in the Office From 26 degrees Celsius indoor temperature, cognitive performance declines measurably — concentration, reaction time, and decision quality all suffer. From 30 degrees, the risk of heat-related complaints rises: headaches, dizziness, circulatory problems. Anyone who keeps working as usual on hot days without adapting works worse and puts their employees' health at risk. A plan makes concrete protective measures a matter of course.
What a Heat Protection Plan Should Include at a Minimum Drinking water — free water bottles or dispensers — is the bare minimum. On top of that: clothing recommendations, ventilation rules for offices (staying cool with night ventilation, blinds closed during the day), flexible working-time arrangements on extreme heat days, and clearly communicated rest options. Anyone with outdoor work in the mix also needs clear rules on exposure times and mandatory shade.
How to put it in place
- 1Arbeitsplätze auf Hitzebelastung prüfen und die Arbeitgeberpflichten der Arbeitsstättenregel ASR A3.5 zu Raumtemperatur als Grundlage nehmen.
- 2Ausstattung beschaffen: Ventilatoren, Sonnenschutz an Fenstern, Trinkwasserspender und ausreichend Nachschub an Getränken.
- 3Hitze-Checkliste mit Auslöseschwellen erstellen, etwa Maßnahmenstufen ab 26, 30 und 35 Grad Raumtemperatur.
- 4Hitzeplan im Team vorstellen und erklären, welche Regeln bei welcher Temperaturstufe automatisch greifen.
- 5Führungskräfte als Träger benennen: Sie entscheiden über flexible Arbeitszeiten, verlegen Slots in kühle Morgenstunden und achten auf Trinkpausen.
- 6An Hitzetagen die Checkliste abarbeiten: Frühlüften, Sonnenschutz schließen, Ventilatoren stellen, Trinkwasser sichtbar bereitstellen.
- 7Gleitzeit und Homeoffice pragmatisch zulassen, damit die heißesten Stunden entzerrt werden.
- 8Besonders belastete oder gefährdete Personen im Blick behalten und Pausen bei Hitzewellen großzügiger takten.
- 9Rückmeldungen einsammeln, an welchen Tagen und Orten es trotz Plan zu heiß war.
- 10Prüfen, ob die Auslöseschwellen der Checkliste im Alltag praktikabel waren und rechtzeitig griffen.
- 11Nachrüstbedarf für die nächste Saison festhalten, etwa zusätzliche Verschattung, mobile Klimageräte oder mehr Trinkwasserstellen.
What you need
- Effort
- half a day
- Cost
- under €100
- Duration
- Saisonal
- Setup
- 60 min
- ✓ Legally relevant
- ✓ High impact
- ✓ Employer obligation
Eligible for funding: up to €600 tax-free
As part of a structured workplace health process, this measure is tax-free under § 3 no. 34 of the German Income Tax Act (EStG) up to €600 per employee per year — BGF-Kompass supplies the process. Certified offers (e.g. from Upfit) are additionally subsidised by statutory health insurers under § 20b SGB V.
Health-insurer funding & tax: how to apply →Adopt it for your company
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