The Greek Ministry of Labor has announced several emergency work safety measures for both the public and private sectors on account of the heatwave set to plague the country on Wednesday and Thursday.
Meteorologists place the daily highs in the 40s in most areas of the country, with the Attica region, the mainland, the Peloponnese and Crete going as high as 43 degrees Celsius.
As a result, the Ministry strongly recommends that employers take both the all technical and organizational measures needed and, where necessary, reduce employment and/or suspend labor during hours of peak temperature (12 p.m. to 5 p.m.) on both days of the heat wave.
In the case of non-compliance with the aforementioned obligations the Labor Inspectorate will fine the company 2,000 per employee.
Public Sector
Employees in the public sector with underlying health issues should work from home. If the nature of their job does not allow for remote work, they can choose to take the day off by requesting special leave.
Appointments with public services scheduled during peak heat hours must be rescheduled for a later date.
Private Sector
Employees in the private sector belonging to high-risk groups must be allowed to work from home, should the nature of their work permit it.
Outdoor Work
The Ministry also mandated the suspension of all outdoor labor activities (construction work, deliveries etc.) when the temperature is equal to, or higher than, 40 degrees Celsius, or 38 degrees in the case of shipbuilding activities.
Transportation Activities
It also prohibited the transportation of any product by a two-wheeled vehicle during peak temperatures. Deliveries, however, can be made using privately-owned vehicles with functioning air-conditioning. Nevertheless, even if deliveries have stopped, take-away will still be available for customers.
Such work suspension does not apply to activities involving critical infrastructure in the fields of health, transportation, and public utility services (health units, water supply, electricity, air, maritime or railway transport etc.), provided that the necessary safety measures are taken.
