Agricultural and Forestry Heat Protection Ordinance (LF-Hitze-V).

This Ordinance, issued under the Agricultural Labor Act 2021 (LAG) by Austria’s Federal Minister for Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, establishes mandatory protections for agricultural and forestry workers exposed to heat and natural UV radiation during outdoor work. It requires employers to assess risks based on factors such as UV intensity, exposure duration, physical workload, heat sources, protective equipment, vulnerable worker groups, and heatwave conditions, using the World Health Organisation (WHO) UV Index as a reference. Employers must implement a hierarchy of preventive measures, including technical solutions like shading and cooling, organisational adjustments such as shift changes and acclimatisation, and personal protections including UV-resistant clothing, headgear, sunscreen, hydration, and first-aid arrangements for heat-related illnesses. The ordinance also mandates worker participation, coordination among employers at shared worksites, activation of measures during official heat warnings, and provision of drinking water and suitable protective equipment, while allowing limited transitional exemptions for older vehicle cabins. Non-compliance is subject to penalties under the LAG.