A worker cools off in a fountain. /
A worker exposed to extreme temperatures can leave his job if he notices that the activity involves a serious and imminent risk to his health without any penalty from his company
The death of a sweeper in Madrid has put the focus on the harsh working conditions that some jobs have to endure in the midst of rising temperatures. And although this heat wave is beginning to subside, we must be prepared, as high temperatures will become more and more common in the day-to-day life of Spanish workers.
For this reason, the Government has promised to “act with all the force and with the full weight of the law” to prevent heat strokes that could put the health of workers at risk. This was stated by the second vice president, Yolanda Díaz, hours before learning that another worker died this Monday in Móstoles due to high temperatures.
Moreover, the Minister of Labor warned that it will be necessary to change labor regulations in the face of the “climate emergency.” “We are going to have to change our way of living, change the rules of labor regulation, as we are already doing, going through the construction of climate shelters, to reforming our homes to gain energy efficiency,” she pointed out.
The inspection intensifies visits to companies to control working conditions and has already sent 115,000 warning letters
Díaz also recalled that his Ministry has launched a special plan this summer to deal with the risks arising from exposure to high temperatures. To this end, the Labor Inspectorate has intensified visits to control working conditions in the most exposed sectors, such as the countryside or construction, where compliance with the planned shifts is especially monitored. But in addition, these controls have also been extended to the hotel industry, industry and other activities carried out in the open air, such as gardening, waste collection or street cleaning.
In turn, more than 115,000 letters have already been sent to companies in these sectors warning them of their duty to comply with the occupational risk prevention protocol and ensure working conditions. In fact, Díaz assured that the company in which the deceased street sweeper worked received one of these letters.
In these letters, companies are reminded that they must take a temperature measurement, establish shaded areas and breaks at work, provide workers with water, sun cream, loose clothing for the activity they carry out, a hat… If not , can be sanctioned with fines ranging between 2,451 euros and 983,736 euros. Companies will also be able to make an irregular distribution of the day to avoid the hottest hours or establish continuous days, as some construction agreements do, for example, which in summer go from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., except in urgent cases. .
“If it is shown that there is a lack of protection measures, the company will be responsible for non-compliance in terms of occupational risk prevention,” explains Ana Ercoreca, labor inspector.
In any case, Ercoreca emphasizes that workers exposed to extreme temperatures can leave their jobs if they notice that the activity entails a serious and imminent risk to their health -such as the fact that their body temperature exceeds 40 degrees-, without the company can adopt any type of penalty, such as dismissal or any sanction.
recommendations
In addition, the Labor Inspectorate has proposed the following recommendations for working with high temperatures:
-Provide drinking water in the vicinity of workstations.
-Plan the heaviest tasks in the hours of less heat, adapting, if necessary, work schedules.
-Take more breaks than usual and in cool places.
-Try to wear loose clothing, light fabric and light colors.
-Protect the head with a cap or hat.
-Increase the frequency of recovery breaks.
-Enable shaded areas or cool places for the rest of the workers.
-Avoid individual work, favoring teamwork to facilitate mutual supervision of workers.
-Inform workers about the risks related to heat, its effects and the preventive and first aid measures that must be adopted.
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