First moderate frost recorded; Labor union wants outdoor workers to be protected

The first official moderate frost of this winter was measured in De Bilt on Tuesday. The temperature at the national weather station dropped to -5.1 degrees, Weeronline reported. On this very cold day, the trade union FNV called for more protection against severe cold for people who work outside.

There is officially moderate frost when temperatures drop to at least -5 degrees Celsius in De Bilt, considered the average for the Netherlands weather wise. From -10 degrees, there is severe frost. At -6.9 degrees, it was the coldest in Hupsel and Maastricht on Tuesday morning.

The last time there was moderate frost in De Bilt was on 1 March 2023. On average, the first severe frost of the season is recorded on December 24.

FNV wants the weather delays in the construction sector’s collective labor agreement, which allows people to stop working when it is very cold, to also apply to other sectors where people work outside and workers not covered by labor agreements.

All workers have the right to a healthy and safe workplace, also when that workplace is outside, the union said. The law stipulates that temperature in the workplace may not damage the employee’s health, but without a clear policy to protect employees against severe cold, that is impossible to enforce.

“Cold does not take collective labor agreements and sectors into account. We want the government to come up with a clear limit value for working in the cold. That value must apply to all workers in all sectors, so that everyone receives the same protection,” FNV vice-chairman Kitty de Jong said.