Trade union demands: heat-free for construction workers!

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The heat hammer has reached Switzerland. The Spanish air has been warming us up since the weekend with temperatures above 30 degrees. And we will continue to sweat in the coming days – especially on the many construction sites.

The union Unia therefore demanded in a press release on Monday: For the health of the Büezer population and at the latest at 35 degrees, work must be completely stopped.

Several safety regulations already exist for working in extremely hot conditions on construction sites. Regular breaks in the shade are mandatory, among other things, to drink water and thus prevent overheating: “But compliance with these safety regulations is increasingly being sacrificed to the increasing deadline pressure,” notes Nico Lutz (52), head of construction. Sector and member of the Executive Committee of Unia . However, the health of construction workers is more important than adhering to the “unnecessarily tight” schedules.

Heat reigns in Ticino

The Swiss accident insurance (Suva) warned on Monday of an increased risk of work accidents in the heat. A statistical analysis shows that at temperatures above 30 degrees, seven percent more accidents occurred than on other summer days. This can be due to fatigue and lack of concentration. The heat can become a problem, especially for people who work outside the home – for example, for gardeners, depot workers, roofers or road builders.

“In Switzerland there is no general right to be free from the heat on construction sites,” says Lutz from Unia. Except in the canton of Ticino, where there is a solution for road construction: “If Meteo Schweiz issues heat warning level 3 for three consecutive days, work must be stopped from 1 p.m. every day.” A similar solution should also be introduced in Valais from next year.

responsibility of the employer

All other construction workers depend on understanding bosses. Last summer, SP alderman and trade unionist Pierre-Yves Maillard (55) asked the Federal Council to do more to protect the safety and health of Büezer residents on construction sites in view of the consequences of climate change. His answer was clear: “The employer bears the primary responsibility for the health protection of the employees,” the state government said in its response.

The Bouwbond is also against a general heat-free from 35 degrees on construction sites. “Each entrepreneur determines daily with his team which activities make sense from a technical, economic and health point of view,” says Matthias Engel (44), media spokesman for the Swiss construction association on hot days.

According to Engel, occupational safety and health protection are top priorities at any time of the year and at every work step. On hot days, sufficient drinking water, sunscreen and the occasional ice cream are provided: “Especially given the current shortage of skilled labour, many construction companies are well aware that a good working atmosphere helps to keep good people on site.” .”

Sound rules prevent early shift

The construction association and the trade union agree that climate change is increasingly making itself felt on construction sites with warm days. There used to be such extreme heat days a few days a year. “The situation has worsened and the construction workers are now telling us about several weeks in a row where they are working in such scorching heat,” says Lutz.

Another problem: In many places, work can’t simply be postponed to the cooler hours of the early morning. “Especially in the cities and tourist regions you are not allowed to make any noise before seven o’clock,” says Engel of the builders’ association.

Source:Blick