The recommendation comes after growing concern that extreme heat is becoming a more frequent and serious issue for health, safety, and productivity.
The Climate Change Committee (CCC), which advises government on climate risks, has warned that rising temperatures, alongside more frequent droughts and flooding, are beginning to reshape conditions across the UK. It argues that existing buildings, infrastructure, and working practices were designed for a climate that no longer reflects current or future conditions.
While no specific legal temperature limit has been proposed for the UK, the CCC points to approaches used elsewhere in Europe, where workplace limits are already in place. The intention behind such measures would be to reduce health risks for workers and encourage employers to take practical steps to manage heat exposure.
The committee also highlights wider concerns about overheating in buildings, particularly in housing, schools, and healthcare settings. It suggests that improving ventilation and increasing the use of cooling solutions - such as air conditioning, heat pumps with cooling functions, and shading systems - should become a higher priority in public infrastructure planning.
There is also growing recognition across the health and safety community that heat risk is no longer a seasonal issue but a recurring operational challenge, particularly for outdoor and physically demanding work.
The CCC describes extreme heat as one of the most significant health-related climate risks facing the UK. Higher temperatures can increase the likelihood of heat stress, fatigue, and heat-related illness, while also affecting concentration and increasing the risk of workplace errors and accidents.
In practice, this is already prompting employers to reassess shift patterns, hydration policies and on-site welfare during periods of high temperature.
There are also concerns about the long-term resilience of the built environment. A large proportion of homes are expected to be at risk of overheating during hotter periods in the coming decades, raising questions about how housing stock and workplaces can be adapted to remain safe and comfortable.
Beyond heat, the UK is also expected to face a combination of climate pressures, including heavier rainfall in winter and drier conditions in summer. These shifts are likely to place additional strain on infrastructure, water supply, and public services.
Taken together, these pressures are driving a wider conversation about whether workplace safety guidance needs to move from reactive advice during heatwaves to more structured, year-round planning for climate-related risk.
Alongside the idea of temperature thresholds, the CCC is calling for greater investment in climate adaptation measures across public buildings, including schools and hospitals. It argues that proactive adaptation is more cost-effective in the long term than responding to climate-related disruption after it occurs.
However, it acknowledges that these changes come with significant upfront costs and would require sustained investment from both government and the private sector. Even so, it maintains that the economic and social costs would be far higher over time.
Government ministers have said they will review the recommendations as part of ongoing climate resilience planning, noting that steps are already being taken to improve flood defences and prepare for more extreme weather conditions.
As the debate develops, attention is likely to shift towards how regulation, guidance and practical workplace controls can evolve together, rather than relying on a single policy intervention such as a fixed maximum temperature - a point that reflects the balance between practicality, safety and long-term climate adaptation.
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