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[PIO] Announcement of the Labour Inspection Department on the implementation of the provisions of the Code of Practice on the Thermal Stress of

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Mandatory Change of Work / Rest and Stop of Work

(CMC / 19)

The Labour Inspectorate Department of the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance informs employers and self-employed persons that today and/or in the coming days in lowland and/or coastal areas, temperature and humidity conditions are expected to prevail, which are likely to create a very severe heat wave and necessitate the interruption and/or regulation/restriction of work. These conditions may endanger workers exposed to heat stress and/or seriously affect the health of workers.

Further to a previous notice issued this year to implement the provisions of the Code of Practice on Workers' Heat Stress (Code of Practice on Workers' Heat Stress (K.D.P. 291/2014 and K.D.P. 206/2020), TEE reminds that:

  1. Both employers and self-employed persons must measure, in the places where work is carried out, the parameters contributing to thermal stress. According to the prevailing conditions of air temperature (in the shade) and relative humidity, they must adjust their work accordingly and apply a change of each task or rest or interruption of work, depending on the type of work performed, as well as other appropriate and adequate measures (organizational and technical), in cooperation with the local Workers' Safety Representatives, to avoid or reduce heat stress, such as:
    1. Organisation of working time so that heavy work is carried out during the coolest hours of the day.
    1. Organising frequent short rest breaks in a shady, cool place or a suitably air-conditioned room or a room where fans are used where possible.
    1. Provision/choice of a shady place or construction of suitable shelters for carrying out the work where possible.
      1. Rotation of workers at work according to the type of activity being carried out.
      1. Avoiding, wherever possible, strenuous outdoor work during the hottest hours of the day (12:00-16:00).
        1. Provision of cool drinking water (temperature 10 - 15°C) to workers.
        1. Provision and use by workers of suitable headgear.
        1. Use by workers of light, loose-fitting, breathable clothing such as cotton clothing, and use of appropriate sunglasses.
        1. Avoid eating large meals or sugary foods or ingesting alcoholic or caffeinated beverages.
          1. Training of workers.
        1. In accordance with the provisions of the Code of Practice (Tables 12 and 13), for temperature conditions of 39°C to 44°C, work must be stopped when the relative humidity levels are below or above, depending on the type and severity of the work:

        Work Severity

        [TD]

        Temperature (in shade) oC

        [/TD]

        [TR] [TD]

        39

        [/TD] [TD]

        40

        [/TD] [TD]

        40

        [/TD] [TD]

        41

        [/TD] [TD]

        42

        [/TD] [TD]

        43

        [/TD] [TD]

        44

        [/TD] [TD]

        44

        [/TD] [TD]

        45

        [/TD] [TD]

        46

        [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]

        Light:

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 53%

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 48%

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 43%

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 39%

        [/TD] [TD] [TD]

        ≥ 34%

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 29%

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 25

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 23

        [/TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]

        Moderate:

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 48%

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 43%

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 38%

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 34%

        [/TD] [TD] [TD]

        ≥ 29%

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 26%

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 22

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 19

        [/TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]

        Heavy:

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 42%

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 37%

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 33%

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 28%

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 25%

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 21%

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 18

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 15

        [/TD] [TD]

        ≥ 15

        [/TD] [/TR]






        Work severity

        [TD] [/TD] [TD]

        Examples

        [/TD]

        [TR] [TD]

        Light

        [/TD] [TD]

        Office work, janitorial work, bench work with light tools, routine driving.

        [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]

        Moderate

        [/TD] [TD]

        Fence laying, concrete work, brick building, plastering, painting, flooring, tile laying, carving, hammering, carrying light objects, carpentry work, electrical work, plumbing work, mechanical work, mechanical work, installation of aluminium, installation of railings, asphalting work carried out by mechanical means.

        [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]

        Heavy

        [/TD] [TD]

        Intensive manual work, processing and placing reinforcement, assembling/disassembling moulds, digging or breaking hard materials with mechanical tools/devices/machinery weighing more than 15 kg, paving work carried out by manual means.

        [/TD] [/TR]



        For more information, interested parties may consult the website of the Technical Inspectorate at Thermal Stress and/or contact the Inspectors at the local District Offices of the Department at the following telephone numbers:

        Nicosia: 22879191

        Limassol: 25827200

        Larnaca: 24805327

        Paphos: 26822715

        Famagusta: 23819750

        (AF/SX)
        Contents of this article including associated images are belongs to PIO
        Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
        Source

 
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