There is no single temperature in Alberta at which it automatically becomes illegal to work. Whether you are working outdoors in extreme cold or inside a building during a summer heatwave, your employer must assess temperature-related hazards and take appropriate steps to protect your health and safety.
Under Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislation, employees may refuse work when they reasonably believe it presents an undue hazard — a serious and immediate threat to health or safety.
If your employer fires, disciplines or threatens you for properly exercising your workplace safety rights, you may have legal options. Samfiru Tumarkin LLP helps non-union employees in Calgary, Edmonton and across Alberta understand their rights following workplace retaliation or termination.
Reviewed by: Lior Samfiru, Employment Lawyer and National Co-Managing Partner
On This Page:
- 1. Legal Temperature Limits
- 2. Employer Responsibilities
- 3. Working in Extreme Heat
- 4. Working in Extreme Cold
- 5. Indoor Workplaces
- 6. Refusing Dangerous Work
- 7. Retaliation & Termination
- 8. Common Questions
What Temperature Can You Refuse to Work in Alberta?
Alberta does not have a general legal maximum or minimum workplace temperature that automatically gives employees the right to refuse work.
There is no universal rule stating that all work must stop at +35°C, -30°C or another specific temperature.
Instead, Alberta OHS legislation requires employers to assess workplace hazards and take appropriate precautions. Under section 17 of the OHS Act, workers may refuse work they reasonably believe presents an undue hazard.
Whether a temperature creates that level of danger depends on factors such as:
- The actual temperature, humidity and wind chill
- Whether the work takes place indoors or outdoors
- The physical demands of the job
- The length of exposure to heat or cold
- Protective clothing, equipment and access to breaks
- The worker’s ability to adapt to the conditions
- The effectiveness of the employer’s safety precautions
For example: Working outdoors at -25°C with suitable protective clothing, heated shelters and warm-up breaks may present different risks than performing the same work without those protections.
The same applies to high temperatures. A physically demanding job in direct sunlight can create greater heat-related risks than light duties in a shaded, ventilated environment.
Employer Obligations for Extreme Temperatures in Alberta
Alberta employers must assess temperature-related workplace hazards and implement appropriate measures to protect employees.
Under Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety Act and related safety requirements, employers must take reasonably practicable steps to protect workers from health and safety risks.
Depending on the circumstances, appropriate precautions may include:
- Providing access to drinking water and suitable rest areas
- Scheduling additional breaks during extreme conditions
- Using shaded, cooled or heated shelters
- Adjusting physically demanding tasks or work schedules
- Providing suitable protective clothing and equipment
- Training employees to recognize heat stress and cold stress
- Monitoring conditions and responding when risks increase
Not every workplace requires the same precautions. Employers must assess the particular hazards and choose effective controls for the work being performed.
Working in Extreme Heat in Alberta
Employees working outdoors during Alberta heatwaves, or indoors in hot environments, may face serious health risks if appropriate precautions are not taken.
Heat stress can occur when the body cannot adequately cool itself. Heavy physical activity, direct sunlight, humidity and protective equipment can increase the risk.
Signs of Heat Stress at Work
Warning signs may include:
- Dizziness, headaches or unusual fatigue
- Heavy sweating or dehydration
- Muscle cramps
- Nausea, weakness or fainting
- Confusion or other changes in awareness
Heat stroke is a medical emergency. If someone develops severe symptoms, including confusion, collapse or altered consciousness, seek emergency medical assistance immediately.
What Should Employers Do During Extreme Heat?
Depending on the hazard assessment, employers may need to provide cool drinking water, shaded rest areas, work-rest schedules, ventilation or cooling measures, and opportunities for workers to adjust gradually to hot conditions.
They may also need to reschedule demanding tasks for cooler periods of the day.
Alberta provides additional guidance on working safely in extreme temperatures.
Working in Extreme Cold in Alberta
Extreme cold can affect employees in construction, transportation, agriculture, oil and gas, outdoor maintenance and other Alberta industries.
Cold stress can cause frostbite, reduced coordination and hypothermia. Wind, moisture, inadequate clothing and prolonged exposure can make conditions more dangerous.
Signs of Cold Stress at Work
Warning signs may include:
- Persistent shivering
- Numbness or tingling in fingers and toes
- Difficulty handling tools or performing ordinary tasks
- Unusual clumsiness, confusion or slurred speech
- Loss of coordination or extreme fatigue
Severe cold stress can become life-threatening. If a worker shows signs of serious hypothermia, seek emergency medical assistance.
What Should Employers Do During Extreme Cold?
Depending on the risks, employers may need to provide heated shelters, warm-up breaks, suitable protective clothing, wind protection and adjusted work schedules.
Employees should also receive appropriate information and training about recognizing cold-related hazards.
There is no single Alberta temperature at which all outdoor work must stop. However, an employer’s failure to address serious cold-related risks may violate workplace safety requirements.
Are There Workplace Temperature Regulations for Indoor Jobs in Alberta?
Indoor employees are also protected by Alberta workplace safety legislation. The law does not apply only to people working outdoors.
For example, an employer may need to address temperature-related hazards in:
- Warehouses without adequate heating or ventilation
- Restaurant kitchens during extreme heat
- Manufacturing facilities with heat-producing equipment
- Offices experiencing serious heating or cooling failures
- Refrigerated storage and other cold indoor environments
An uncomfortable office temperature does not automatically amount to an undue hazard. However, when indoor conditions create a genuine health and safety risk, the employer must assess and address it.
Appropriate measures may include ventilation, heating, cooling, protective equipment, rest breaks or temporary changes to work arrangements, depending on the circumstances.
How to Refuse Unsafe Work Due to Extreme Temperatures in Alberta
If you reasonably believe extreme heat or cold presents an undue hazard, section 17 of Alberta’s OHS Act allows you to refuse the dangerous work.
However, you must follow the proper process:
- Stop the dangerous task. Do not continue work you reasonably believe presents an undue hazard. Take reasonable care not to endanger others.
- Notify your employer promptly. Tell your supervisor what work you are refusing and explain the temperature-related danger.
- Allow the hazard to be addressed. Your employer must investigate and take the steps required under the OHS Act. If the hazard cannot be remedied immediately, the employer must follow the formal inspection process.
- Remain available for safe duties. Your employer may require you to remain at the worksite and temporarily assign other work you can reasonably perform, without a loss of pay.
- Contact Alberta OHS if the danger remains. If you believe the hazard has not been corrected, contact the provincial OHS Contact Centre for assistance.
For the complete process, read our guide to the right to refuse unsafe work in Alberta.
You can also contact Alberta Occupational Health and Safety at 1-866-415-8690.
Can You Be Fired for Refusing to Work in Extreme Temperatures?
Alberta employers can’t take prohibited disciplinary action against workers for properly exercising their rights under OHS legislation.
Depending on the circumstances, prohibited disciplinary action may include:
- Firing or suspending an employee
- Reducing wages or scheduled hours
- Demoting or transferring an employee
- Threatening or intimidating an employee
- Issuing disciplinary warnings because of protected safety activities
If your employer punishes you for properly reporting or refusing dangerous work, you may be able to file an OHS disciplinary-action complaint.
What if You Were Fired After Raising Temperature Concerns?
If your employer terminates your employment after you report dangerous heat or cold, you may have both an OHS issue and separate employment-law rights.
An OHS complaint addresses prohibited disciplinary action. Depending on the circumstances of your dismissal, you may also be entitled to severance pay (as much as 24 months’ pay) or have other legal claims.
Learn more about workplace reprisals in Alberta, wrongful dismissal in Alberta and Alberta severance pay.
Before you resign, accept a severance package or sign a release, get legal advice. Your response may affect the compensation and other remedies available to you.
Extreme Temperatures at Work in Alberta: Common Questions
What is the maximum legal working temperature in Alberta?
Alberta does not establish one general maximum legal working temperature for all workplaces. Employers must assess heat-related hazards and take appropriate precautions to protect workers.
What is the minimum legal working temperature in Alberta?
There is no single minimum temperature at which all work must stop. Employers must assess cold-related risks, including wind chill, exposure time, physical activity and available protective measures.
Can I refuse to work in 35°C heat in Alberta?
Potentially, but 35°C does not automatically establish a legal right to refuse work. The question is whether the conditions present an undue hazard. Humidity, physical exertion, direct sunlight and available safety precautions may affect the risk.
Can I refuse to work outside at -30°C in Alberta?
Potentially. Working at -30°C does not automatically justify a dangerous-work refusal, but serious cold-related risks may do so. Wind chill, exposure time, protective clothing and access to warm-up breaks all matter.
Does my employer have to provide air conditioning in Alberta?
Alberta OHS legislation does not generally require air conditioning in every workplace. However, employers must assess and control hazardous heat exposure. Air conditioning, ventilation, cooling stations or other measures may be appropriate depending on the risk.
Can I report my employer for unsafe workplace temperatures?
Yes. Report the concern to your employer or supervisor first. If it remains unresolved, you can contact Alberta OHS. If the conditions present an undue hazard, the dangerous-work refusal process may also apply.
Can my employer cut my shifts because I complained about dangerous temperatures?
Reducing an employee’s shifts because they properly exercised their OHS rights may amount to prohibited disciplinary action. The circumstances and reason for the employer’s decision matter.
Talk to an Alberta Employment Lawyer
If you have been fired, disciplined or forced to resign after raising concerns about dangerous workplace temperatures, you may have legal options.
The Alberta employment lawyers at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP help non-union employees in Calgary, Edmonton and across the province understand their rights following workplace retaliation, termination and other employment disputes.
Before you sign a severance agreement or give up your rights, always check first.