The heat wave continues to hit France and, in particular, the workers at the end of August. Our labor legislation obliges companies to have “adapted means” in case of intense heat. But no maximum temperature has been set, and although it is a common habit on construction sites, there is no reason to adjust working hours. Contacted by BFM Business, the Ministry of Labor indicates that “there is no change in perspective” for the moment in the regulations.
On the other hand, some European countries adapt to high heat. Maximum temperature, partial unemployment or even a moment of rest in the shade, several neighboring countries have adopted specific regulations in recent years. to protect workers EITHER rearrange work time. A topic that is even more hot given that this year temperatures have reached record levels.
• Italy: resort to partial unemployment
On the Italian side, in the event of a heat wave, partial unemployment comes into play: for several years, high temperatures (above 35°C) have allowed Italian companies to suspend the work of their employees for a few hours, benefiting these last. of partial unemployment benefits from the national social security.
But not all companies are concerned: activities exposed to the sun, such as construction or agriculture, or those that cannot be carried out in hot weather, can claim it.
• Spain: a day without rest but shortened
Spain recently implemented specific regulations for working outdoors in case of hot weather; this only dates back to May 2023. Now, if the national meteorological agency (AEMET) places a territory in “orange” or “red” due to high temperatures, local authorities Companies are forced to take measures to adapt the working conditions of its employees. They can decide, for example, to exempt them from certain tasks during hot hours or to reduce the working day.
In addition, in summer, the construction sector is subject to the application of the “continuous working day”, that is, a continuous working day without interruptions, by virtue of agreements with unions that complement collective agreements, mainly in the south of the country. The goal is to finish the day earlier, generally before 3:00 p.m., to avoid working during the hottest hours. For example, in 2018 in Seville, Andalusia, the working day was from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. between June 25 and August 31.
• Cyprus: the hotter it is, the more rest there is
In Cyprus, a Mediterranean island, regulations govern “heat stress” for outdoor workers. The latter provides for a balance between working time and rest time in case of high temperatures, varying very precisely depending on the temperature and humidity of the air.
A concrete example: with a temperature of 35°C and humidity between 38 and 50%, a person subjected to a heavy workload will have to alternate between 50% work time and 50% rest time or task change, every hour.
• Latvia: maximum of 28 degrees indoors
In Latvia, the regulations set a maximum possible temperature depending on the workload, but this limit only applies to indoor spaces, so construction sites or even agriculture are not affected.
In summer, indoors, the air temperature cannot exceed 28°C with low physical effort, 27°C with moderate physical effort and 26°C with high physical effort. In addition, the air humidity should be between 30 and 70%. This regulation also sets minimum limits for winter.
• Greece: work suspended during the hottest hours
In Greece, collective agreements for certain professions protect workers in case of extreme heat, based on maximum temperature thresholds.
In the shipbuilding sector, for example, work is suspended between 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. if the temperature exceeds 36°C. If it exceeds 38°C, work is suspended from 1 pm to 7 pm, without reducing the daily wage. In the construction sector, work is interrupted when the temperature reaches 38°C in the shade, also without a reduction in salary.
Source: BFM TV
