In the midst of the heatwave sweeping much of Spain, the Network of Roadside Assistance Companies (REAC) has issued an urgent statement to raise awareness of a critical situation that directly affects tow-truck operators and roadside technical assistance operators: the extreme heat stress they are exposed to during their daily call-outs.
More than 1,180 heat-related deaths: a national alarm
Between 16 May and 13 July 2025, more than 1,180 deaths in Spain were attributed to high temperatures. In the same period, at least 110 tow-truck operators were forced to stop work after suffering the effects of extreme heat. A worrying figure that highlights the high risk faced by this essential group, which often goes unseen by society.
What does the law say about working in extreme heat?
The Occupational Risk Prevention Act (Law 31/1995), together with Royal Decree 486/1997 and its recent update through Royal Decree-Law 4/2023, clearly establish that during episodes of extreme heat, working conditions must be assessed, adapted and even suspended if the worker's safety cannot be guaranteed. What is more, prolonged exposure to heat is recognised as an occupational accident.
The invisible risk underneath a lorry
Tow-truck operators who have to work underneath commercial vehicles face a particularly dangerous environment. While the air temperature may read 35 °C, the actual temperature under a lorry's chassis can exceed 70 °C, combining radiant heat from the engine, the exhaust and the tarmac.
This translates into immediate risks such as:
- Heatstroke within minutes.
- Burns from contact with metal parts at more than 100 °C.
- Fainting and severe dehydration.
Changing a wheel at 75 °C: a high-risk task
Meanwhile, mechanical operators who have to carry out tasks such as changing wheels at the roadside face temperatures of around 80 °C next to the rims and up to 500 °C at the brake drums after a long descent. In these conditions, a tyre can burst due to internal pressure and become a lethal projectile.
REAC's statement makes an urgent call to recognise the difference between ambient temperature and component temperature, recommending that no work be carried out until the working temperature drops to below 45 °C.
Urgent and necessary measures
REAC proposes a series of specific measures to protect these workers:
- Adding an assistant to every tow truck or technical assistance job.
- Avoiding call-outs between 10:00 and 17:00, especially in the provinces with the most extreme temperatures.
- Respecting vehicle cooling times before carrying out any manoeuvre.
These actions are not only in line with current legislation; they are a moral and human imperative to guarantee the safety of the professionals who look after drivers every day.
Caring for those who care: a shared responsibility
REAC appeals to the commitment of all parties involved (companies, insurers, public authorities and the public) to urgently apply these preventive measures. Because, as they rightly point out in their statement:
“Roadside assistance operators risk their lives on the road to safeguard the lives of the insured.”