Pafos Press 13 June 2024
In view of the Met Office Warning issued for today for an extremely high temperature at danger level orange, all outdoor heavy and moderate work is required to cease between the hours of 12:00 and 16:00 while the warning is in force, and the operations of transporting products and/or delivering products using two-wheeled vehicles (eg motorbikes, mopeds, bicycles) or personal mobility devices (scooters, e-scooters), such as transporting and/or delivering products/food/mail or /and other activities.
According to an announcement by the Department of Labor Inspection (TEE) of the Ministry of Labor and Social Insurance, the warning at the orange level of danger and the stoppage of work concerns the interior (areas with an altitude below 300 meters, which are more than 10 kilometers from the coastline) and the higher mountains (mountainous areas with an altitude above 1150 meters).
It is illustratively explained that office work, custodial work, bench work with light tools and ordinary driving are considered to be light work. Moderate work includes fencing, concreting, bricklaying, plastering, painting, flooring, tiling, carving, hammering, moving light objects, carpentry, electrical, plumbing works, the mechanical works, the installation of aluminium, the installation of railings and the paving works carried out by mechanical means. Finally, heavy work means intense manual work, rebar processing and placement, assembling / disassembling moulds, digging or breaking hard materials with mechanical tools / devices / machinery weighing more than 15 kg and asphalt paving work carried out by manual means .
For any other case (light work and in areas where the orange level of risk does not apply) the TEE reminds that, based on the provisions of the Safety and Health at Work (Code of Practice for the Thermal Stress of Workers) Decrees of 2014, 2020 and 2023 (K.D.P. 291/2014, K.D.P. 206/2020 and K.D.P. 231/2023) both employers and self-employed persons must measure, in the areas where work is carried out, the parameters (temperature and relative humidity) that contribute to the heat load.
It is added that according to the prevailing conditions of air temperature (in the shade) and relative humidity, employers and self-employed persons must adjust their work accordingly and implement a change of each work or rest or interruption of work, depending on the type of work performed work, as well as other appropriate and sufficient measures (organizational and technical) to avoid or reduce heat stress.
It is recommended to organize frequent short breaks for rest in a shady, cool place or a properly air-conditioned place or in a place where fans are used where this is possible, configuration / selection of a shady place or construction of suitable shelters for the execution of the work where this is possible and rotation of the workers at work depending on the type of activity performed.
Furthermore, it is recommended to avoid, where possible, strenuous outdoor work during the hottest hours of the day (12:00-16:00), providing workers with cool drinking water (at a temperature of 10 – 15 °C) and providing and using it by workers in appropriate headgear.
Finally, it is recommended that workers be trained, that workers wear light, loose, breathable clothing such as cotton items and use appropriate sunglasses, avoid eating large meals or sugary foods, or ingesting alcoholic or caffeinated beverages.
It is stated that according to the provisions of the Code of Practice for temperature conditions of 39° to 46°, work must be stopped when the following or higher percentages of relative humidity prevail, depending on the type and severity of the work:
When the shade temperature is 39°C and the humidity is greater than or equal to 53% for light duty, 48% for moderate duty and 42% for heavy duty. At 40°C when humidity is greater than or equal to 48% for light duty, 43% for moderate duty, 37% for heavy duty. At 41°C when humidity is greater than or equal to 43% for light duty, 38% for moderate duty, 33% for heavy duty. At 42°C when humidity is greater than or equal to 39% for light duty, 34% for moderate duty, 28% for heavy duty.
At 43°C when humidity is greater than or equal to 34% for light duty, 29% for moderate duty, 25% for heavy duty. At 44°C when humidity is greater than or equal to 29% for light duty, 26% for moderate duty, 21% for heavy duty. At 45°C when humidity is greater than or equal to 25% for light duty, 22% for moderate duty, 18% for heavy duty. At 46°C when humidity is greater than or equal to 23% for light duty, 19% for moderate duty, 15% for heavy duty.
For further information, please refer to the TEE website in the Thermal Stress section and/or contact the inspectors at the local District offices of the Department at the following telephone numbers. For Nicosia 22 879191, Limassol 25 827200, Larnaca 24 805327, Paphos 26 822715 and Famagusta 23 819750.
