Bulgarians Hope for Shorter Work Hours over Heat

Change and decrease of work hours are among the measures, proposed by the Bulgarian General Labor Inspectorate Executive Agency for employers to deal with the high temperatures. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's General Labor Inspectorate Executive Agency has suggested that employers should take into consideration the high temperatures and provide healthy and safe work conditions to their employees.

The agency has announced that there are no specific rules for work regime when the temperatures exceed 30 degrees Celsius, but there are optimal work place standards for temperature and air velocity, depending on the category of labor and the season.

The standards concern work places in the premises of enterprises for all industries.

The labor inspectorate agency also advised that employers should apply all possible technical and organizational measures for limiting the negative effect of the work environment on the employees' health.

“The sustained exposure to high temperatures can lead to heat stress. Heat rashes and fainting are the first symptoms of excessive heat exposure. If measures are not taken in the first phase of the heat stress, it can lead to heat stroke or exhaustion,” officials from the agency said.

They have explained that technical measures include technical means for cooling down the premises and providing fresh air for workers.

Additionally, sun blinds, fans and equipment for air-conditioned leisure premises could be provided with the recommendation that the difference in temperature between the work and leisure rooms does not increase 10 degrees Celsius.

Another tactics, suggested by the agency, is for the employer to undertake organizational measures like changing and decreasing the work hours for a certain period of time.

The recommended work clothes should be made of cotton and should be comfort and air permeable.

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