"Employers can go further to help their workers beat the heat,"

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But for the thousands of people whose jobs take them outside during the heat – construction workers, delivery drivers and gardeners, for example – searing temperatures and high humidity are so challenging that there have been legal regulations in place for years to help protect them...

The fact that enforcement spot-checks this year have uncovered nearly 50 companies breaking these rules is an indictment of some businesses’ willingness to cut corners while adopting a cavalier attitude to the health and well-being of their staff...

Unfortunately, some of the workers concerned often lack knowledge about their legal rights or are too intimidated to demand them, making them more vulnerable to unscrupulous employers...

Although government regulations are a necessary minimum standard, the onus is on companies to look closer at their working practices during the summer. They ought to endeavour to adhere to these regulations and go above and beyond the minimum requirements on midday breaks and shade. Although some jobs require outside work in summer – delivery drivers, for example – many more are adaptable...

A combination of evolving legislation, strict enforcement and companies ensuring they take all necessary measures to protect their staff are essential to reducing the intensity of that challenge and keeping as many workers as safe as possible.