Too hot in the salon: vida calls for better heat protection for hairdressers

The summer heat is causing problems for many professional groups - not only on construction sites. What many overlook when the outside temperature reaches over 30 degrees in August, the work also becomes a test of endurance for hairdressers. Hair dryers, straighteners and warm water vapours heat up the air additionally. Often there is a lack of air conditioning or sufficient ventilation. In addition, there are chemical odors from hair dyes. The result: swollen hands, swollen ankles, circulatory problems, exhaustion - and difficulty concentrating during fine motor work. Tanja Niedermaier heads the training company "New Talents Studio" in Vienna's 10th district, which is run by vida and AK Vienna through their expert committee. The studio is a modern and contemporary training salon for hairdressers, beauticians and chiropodists. After years of experience and from many stories told by employees, Niedermaier knows the challenges in the industry: "Especially on hot days, many reach their limits - even if you don't always notice it."

Heat as a stress factor

The strain is only noticeable physically, but also emotionally. The mood changes faster, patience decreases - even among colleagues. In hairdressing, hairdressing is all about hair-precise cuts. When small mistakes happen, not only customers but also employees are dissatisfied. "The heat is stressful. And we work with people, so every move has to be right," says Niedermaier. The Lower Austrian, who loves her profession, which she has been doing for 27 years, advocates that heat protection be taken just as seriously as hygiene regulations or other occupational health and safety measures. Because: "People also work in the hairdressing industry - and not machines".

No legal heat-free

There is no general "heat-free" in Austria. Construction workers can get 32.5 degrees off in the shade from the employer. In this case, the workers continue to receive 60 percent of the wage. In 2026, an ordinance is to be issued that provides for a mandatory heat protection plan from 30 degrees for outdoor professions. Such a heat protection ordinance is currently under review. There are no such regulations for hairdressers and other heat-stressed professions indoors. But here, too, protective measures are needed, according to the union.

vida demands for more heat protection

In order to improve working conditions at high temperatures, the trade union vida demands:

• Better cooling and ventilation in salons
• Flexible break regulations to be able to drink enough
• Cool retreats for short recovery periods
• More understanding and sensitivity to exposure to heat
• Heat protection as an integral part of occupational health and safety