The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has issued new guidance urging healthcare employers to strengthen workplace heat safety measures as high temperatures continue to place additional pressure on frontline nursing staff and healthcare services across the UK.

New guidance published by Nursing in Practice highlights five key actions employers should prioritise to reduce heat-related risks, including providing access to drinking water, ensuring staff can take rest breaks, reviewing uniform policies, managing workplace temperatures and incorporating heat into workplace risk assessments.

The RCN said employers have a duty of care to provide safe working conditions and should take practical steps to minimise the impact of excessive heat on both staff wellbeing and patient care. It noted that prolonged exposure to high temperatures can contribute to dehydration, fatigue and reduced concentration, increasing health and safety risks within clinical environments.

Among the recommendations are improving ventilation, maintaining cooling systems where available, providing fans where appropriate and allowing greater flexibility around uniforms to help staff remain comfortable during periods of extreme heat. The guidance also advises employers to review the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), recognising that prolonged wear can increase the risk of heat stress during demanding clinical duties.

The organisation also emphasised that heat should be considered within workplace risk assessments, particularly for pregnant workers, employees with underlying health conditions and community-based nursing staff who may face additional exposure to high temperatures.

The guidance reflects existing workplace health and safety legislation, including the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations and the Working Time Regulations, which require employers to provide suitable welfare facilities, drinking water and adequate rest breaks for employees.

As periods of hot weather become more frequent, the RCN said proactive workplace planning will play an increasingly important role in protecting healthcare workers while helping organisations maintain safe, resilient services. The guidance reinforces the importance of treating heat as an occupational health and safety risk that requires ongoing management rather than a short-term seasonal challenge.