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Periods of extreme heat can cause health risks for workers. However, the employer has an obligation of safety towards his employees in terms of health at work.

Each year the website of the Ministry of Labour, provides measures to be implemented in case of extreme heat to protect employees. We take stock in this news note.

 1.General measures

The employer may:

• Take into account and transcribe in  the « single risk assessment document » the  risks related to the thermal environment and adopt preventive measures to ensure the health and safety of employees;
• Renew the air so as to avoid excessive temperature rises in enclosed work rooms;
• Provide fresh drinking water;
• Provide employees with means of protection against high heat and/or cooling;

 2. Mesures to be applied in the event of a « red alert » warning by «Météo France»

As this « red  alert » is exceptional, specific management measures must be applied by employers. As part of itshis safety obligations, it is the employer’s responsibility to carry out a daily reassessment of the exposure risks incurred by each employee based on:

• The temperature and its evolution during the day;
• The nature of the work to be carried out, in particular in the  open air or in thermal environments already with high temperatures, or involving a physical load;
• The age and state of health of workers.

Based on this risk reassessment:

• Adjust the arrangement of workload, schedules and, more generally, work organization, to ensure the health and safety of workers throughout the red alert period. Particular attention must be paid to pregnant women, people with chronic pathologies or disabilities, etc.

• Decide to stop workif the assessment shows that the measures taken are insufficient, in particular for work carried out at a very high temperature and involving a high physical load, e.g. roof insulation or roofing work, repeated handling of heavy loads.

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This fact sheet contains summary information. Please contact us for advice tailored to your situation. We cannot be held responsible for misinterpretation.

Source :travail-emploi.gouv.fr/sante-au-travail/prevention-des-risques-pour-la-sante-au-travail/article/chaleur-et-canicule-au-travail-les-precautions-a-prendre

Contact

Claire APPELGHEM

Head of HR/Employment Law

Claire.appelghem@groupe-aplitec.com

01 40 40 38 38