Source date: 2026-05-26
Labor regulations
Heat: What are the employer's obligations? Published on May 27, 2026 - Entreprendre Service Public / Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
To protect employees exposed to heat risks, employers have been required to implement new prevention measures since 2025. Here is an explanation.
The decree of May 27, 2025, introduced new prevention obligations for employers. These provisions have applied since July 1, 2025.
The goal is to protect employees against heat-related risks, such as:
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deterioration of working conditions;
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work accidents;
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dehydration, heatstroke...
What are the warning thresholds?
Several meteorological warning thresholds were established by Météo-France in an order dated May 27, 2025:
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green alert: seasonal monitoring without specific vigilance;
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yellow alert: heat wave (exposure over a period of 1 to 2 days to intense heat posing a risk to human health due to working conditions or physical activity);
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orange alert: heatwave period (intense and prolonged heat likely to pose a health risk to the entire exposed population);
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red alert: extreme heatwave period (exceptional heatwave in terms of duration, intensity, and geographical scope, posing a significant health impact on the entire population or potentially leading to collateral effects on business continuity).
An "intense heat episode" corresponds to reaching the yellow, orange, or red alert levels.
"Heatwave periods," which entitle workers to compensation for sick leave in construction companies, are characterized by reaching the orange or red alert levels.
What are the new prevention measures?
The decree of May 27, 2025, lists measures that employers must take to combat intense heat episodes:
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use of work processes that do not require exposure to heat (or require less exposure);
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modification of the layout and arrangement of workplaces and workstations;
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adaptation of work organization (including working hours) to limit the duration and intensity of exposure. Rest periods may be provided;
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implementation of technical means to reduce solar radiation on exposed surfaces or to prevent heat accumulation in work areas (examples: sunshades, fans, misters...);
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increase, as much as possible, of the supply of fresh drinking water available to workers. The employer must provide employees with a sufficient quantity of fresh drinking water and ensure a means to keep drinking water cool near workstations;
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selection of appropriate work equipment to maintain stable body temperature;
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provision of personal protective equipment to limit or compensate for the effects of high temperatures or to protect against the effects of solar radiation;
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adequate information and training for workers, on the one hand, on the conduct to adopt in case of high heat and, on the other hand, on the correct use of work equipment and personal protective equipment to reduce their exposure to heat to a level "as low as technically possible."
The decree adds that in the absence of running water, the employer must ensure the availability of at least 3 liters of water per day per worker. This provision, applicable at all times, specifically concerns the execution of work in the construction sector. Forestry and silvicultural work is also covered.
To ensure the health and safety of employees during heatwaves, the employer must integrate the risk of high heat into the single document for professional risk assessment (DUERP).
Legal texts and references
See also
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Guide to preventing risks related to heat waves: what are the employer's obligations?
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Publication of the decree on the protection of workers against heat-related risks Ministry of Labor
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Heat and heatwaves at work Ministry of Labor
Source: Service-Public professionals