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Extreme heat in Eschwege: Employers protect employees from the embers!
Employers in the Werra-Meißner district are responding to extreme heat with adjusted working hours to protect employees.
Extreme heat in Eschwege: Employers protect employees from the embers!
The change in the weather also caused great excitement in the Werra-Meißner district. On August 14, 2025, extreme temperatures caused worried employers, particularly in the civil engineering, road construction and landscaping sectors. How HNA reported that the heat wave was reason enough to quickly reconsider working conditions.
The Küllmer-Bau company, the region's largest civil engineering and road construction company, has reacted and is suspending work at 3 p.m. on hot days. Managing director Lars Gröger explained that they start their working day at 6:30 a.m. to take advantage of the cool morning hours. A proven concept to withstand extreme temperatures. The Pröger-Gärten company has also adapted its strategy; The employees start their work at 6 a.m. and have to coordinate flexibly with private customers.
Important tips for employees
It's not just important that the work gets done; The well-being of the employees also has top priority. Managing director Stefan Pröger recommends his employees to drink enough, take regular breaks and apply cream. Drinks and protective work clothing are a given in the companies. The asphalt team at Küllmer-Bau in particular has a hard time with the high temperatures, which is why drinks are provided every day. The hydraulic cylinder manufacturer Pacoma in Eschwege goes one step further and offers free water and ice to make the heat more bearable for its employees.
But the work still needs to be done. In the construction yard in Hessisch Lichtenau, the employees continue to work despite 36 degrees in midsummer. Employee Nicole Scheiter has prepared herself against the heat with appropriate protective clothing and remains calm despite the conditions. Her colleague Lars Gröger adds that many jobs, such as green maintenance, also have to be carried out in the summer heat.
Health risks and sick leave
The effects of heat on health are clearly noticeable. By mid-July, IKK Südwest reported 514 certificates of incapacity for work due to heat-related diagnoses - almost as many as in the entire hot summer of 2022, where 551 sick notes were recorded. In comparison, there were only 396 in the mild summer of 2024. Delivery workers, construction workers and craftsmen are particularly affected. A record-breaking 31 degrees is expected again on Saturday, August 16, 2025, further increasing concerns about the health of employees.
In these challenging times, it is important to focus on the well-being of employees. Employers are working to take appropriate measures to continue to improve the situation in the future.