Win protection for heatwaves to come

The issue of workplace heat dominated many trade-union branches in the week starting 22 June, and many small victories were won.
Some workers, such as London bus drivers, took direct action and refused work on health and safety grounds. Many others won mitigations like agreements to work from home or workplace closures. These actions kept workers safe, but long term solutions require more sustained pressure. At least one union branch, Arriva London North Unite, is leading the way by balloting on this issue.

Many employers introduced temperature “fixes” during the heat wave, often under pressure from unionised workers. The go-to emergency response has been a scramble for portable air conditioning units. Better that than heat stroke. But portable air conditioning is no long-term solution. It is noisy and extremely inefficient. A fully installed air conditioning system may be necessary in some industries (healthcare, public transport, food etc.), but there are significant costs in terms of increased energy demand and heat island effects.

Generally there are better alternatives to air conditioning, or at least necessary supplements.

The summer temperatures we are now experiencing in Northern Europe are equivalent to those that most of humanity has experienced for most of human history. For thousands of years, buildings in tropical and subtropical areas have been designed to keep cool in the hot weather without energy-intensive air-conditioning. Long-term solutions should maximise these passive design strategies such as external blinds or shutters, white roofs, through ventilation, awnings, and facilities such as cool-water fountains everywhere, before or at least as well as installing air conditioning.