PROVINCIA DE CORDOBA – After the death of a 58-year-old man in Montilla (Córdoba) while carrying out harvesting work last Friday, Spain wants measures to adapt working conditions to the high temperatures.
The acting minister of Labour announced this on X (formerly Twitter). She reported there that an inspection is underway and stressed the need to ensure the “health and safety of workers”. On the day of the incident, a code red for extreme heat had been issued in the area. Temperatures were expected to rise to 44 degrees Celsius.
“My condolences go out to the people close to the deceased employee. The Inspectorate is already investigating what happened,” said the acting minister.
Todo mi cariño a las personas cercanas al trabajador fallecido. La inspección está ya actuando e investigando lo ocurrido.
Se tiene que garantizar la salud y seguridad de los trabajadores y adaptar el trabajo a las altas temperaturas. https://t.co/RMHzYaGvOd
— Yolanda Díaz (@Yolanda_Diaz_) August 11, 2023
Agreement between trade unions and employers’ organisations
This incident comes a week after the unions UGT FICA and CCOO-Industrie and the employers’ organisations CEOE and Cepyme, together with their sectoral organisations (Asaja, Comité de Gestión de Cítricos and FEPEX), signed an agreement to reduce the risks of heat stroke in the agricultural sector to deal with.
15 Principles for measures to cope with the heat
The agreement contains 15 leading preventive measures in the agricultural sector to deal with extreme temperatures. It includes guidelines such as monitoring extreme temperature information through the National Meteorological Institute Aemet, establishing a special regimen for rest periods and minimum breaks during extreme heat, and providing drinking water and personal and collective social protection measures to prevent prolonged exposure to heat, among other things.
Related: Number of deaths attributed to heat triples in Spain
