Three people Died already this year while working due to high temperatures And officially, we’re only two weeks into summer. What was once solitary tragedies is now an increasingly common occupational accident rate. HE last year Ministry of Labor total five dead during working days due to the direct influence of extreme temperatures. It was the year most registered workers died for the time being. It is a fact that climate crisis (and its effects) increase their risk of dying on the job.
This Monday kicked off the tenth episode of extreme temperatures, and companies and workers are facing doubts over the effectiveness of the new regulations on prevention. Law in force since 1995 without significant changes. Starting this May, companies should update their plans and risk assessments to take account of it. especially heat peaks and have guidelines on how to react during these to minimize any hazards to the worker’s health.
not very specific regulations
Lawyers and businessmen consulted doubt the effectiveness of the regulations, as some think it is unclear when and how to act, while others think they do not impose new obligations on existing obligations. These days the Ministry of Labor is sending 102,000 letters It reminds companies of their new and old obligations, especially in sectors exposed to extreme temperatures due to their activities.
Two of three people who died this year, one in Cinco Casas (Ciudad Real) and the other in Aznalcóllar (Seville) work in the fieldon family property. As if they were self-employed. Actually they areself-employment and SMEs, according to all sources consulted, lmost vulnerable parts occupational risk prevention circuit
First, forced self evaluation this requirement is often suppressed. Second, in most cases ano standardized protocol Who did it external company HE does not know the truth specific to that company. According to the latest data from Generalitat’s ‘Enquesta de qualitat i condicions de treball’ report, only one of four companies makes its own risk assessment.
Small companies rarely have a risk-prevention agent figure, as there is almost no unionisation. And labor inspectorsis perceived by multiple employees as a mythological animal, with less than one representative per 10,000 employees: they say they exist, but they have never seen them. “The problem is always the same, how are we going to implement it? The Labor Inspectorate has the resources and we go as far as we can go. It’s much easier where delegates are, and more complex when they’re not,” says the occupational health secretary of UGT-Fica Catalunya, Antonia Fuentes.
prevention gap
” editing is not considered key Small, even though we have an efficient structure that mostly consists of such companies. Sometimes we have a hard time finding balances to adapt. Although occupational risk regulations have been in place for many years,” says Pimec employer workplace manager, silvia miro.
To reduce this historical gap with large companies on prevention, Pimec has created a consulting service for its partners to go beyond formal compliance with the law and work on qualitative measures adapted to the unique reality of the workplace.
New regulations
A company that forces its employees to work outdoors without taking the necessary precautions during a heat wave and poses a serious risk to their health, sanctions of up to one million euros. The sanctions are now the same as before May 12, when the Government approved a royal decree to strengthen workers’ protection against extreme temperatures.
“New one regulations do not bring innovation, because companies already had an obligation to assess thermal stress. We understand that it does not require a specific protocol. It looks more like a reminder,” says the occupational health and safety technician from employer Pimec, oscar martin. “We’ve had almost no consultation about it,” he adds. They understand from UGT that companies must have a certain protocol in case of alerts from UGT. omen “Assess the risks on a technical level, taking into account the worker’s age, pathologies, and state of health,” says Fuentes.
In the opinion of a UPF Professor of Law and Social Security Consuelo ChacarteguiThe change of government completes an occupational risk prevention regulation that dates back to 1995. However, it does so in an “imprecise” and “confusing” way, as it does not set clear parameters for when activity should or should not stop. . In terms of risks from the climate crisis, none of the southern European countries particularly affected are clear on how to move forward. ” Mediterranean countries they are just beginning to adapt and recognize an increased risk,” he adds.