Unions urged employers to protect employees from heat

Chisinau, 14 July /MOLDPRES/- The National Confederation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Moldova (CNSM) asked the economic agents to ensure all measures provided by the legislation, so that the employees are not affected by the heat during working hours. This is in the conditions in which yellow heatwave code was issued in Moldova for 14-19 July.

The trade unionists claim that under the law, the employer is obliged to take the necessary measures to protect the safety and health of workers, including the prevention of occupational hazards.

"When air temperatures exceed + 30 degrees Celsius, the national legislation obliges employers to ensure minimum conditions for maintaining the health of employees, ie to reduce the intensity and pace of physical activity, to ensure ventilation at work , the alternation of the dynamic effort with the static one and of the work period with the rest ones ”, CNSM said.

During the hot period, employees must be offered 2-4 liters / person of saline or mineral water, personal protective equipment and shower.

In order to promote the safety and health of workers exposed to certain thermal hazards during the heat, it is necessary to provide them with adequate protective equipment, including head and body protection, to provide drinking water for each person during a shift.

Employers who cannot ensure these conditions, in agreement with the employees' representatives, are entitled to decide to reduce the working hours during the hot period.

According to the legislation, in hot weather conditions, the competent bodies must undertake controls and other measures to detect and punish employers who do not comply with the legal provisions for the protection of employees during the hot weather. The national legislation stipulates that employers who do not take measures to protect against the heat wave risk being fined between 80 and 500 conventional units (4,000 and 25 thousand lei).

According to the State Hydrometeorological Service, on July 14-19, over large areas the maximum air temperature will reach 35 degrees Celsius.

photo: CNSM