Spain to prohibit outdoor work in extreme heat conditions

OVIEDO, Spain

Spain is set to ban outdoor work during periods of extreme heat, Spanish Labor Minister Yolanda Diaz announced on Wednesday.

“Climate change … has made its way into the lives of regular people. It’s real,” she said, explaining the government’s plan to modify the existing labor legislation.

Diaz clarified that the ban would be enforced when Spain's meteorological agency, AEMET, issues red or orange heat warnings, a scenario that has already unfolded on a few abnormally hot occasions this year.

“In the past, we’ve seen very serious incidents … where workers have succumbed to heat stroke,” she added.

Last summer during a heatwave in Madrid, for instance, a 60-year-old died while cleaning the city’s streets. Days later, another 56-year-old died while delivering flyers to homes.

Spain’s public health agency estimated that extreme temperatures killed nearly 6,000 people in 2022. The vast majority of the deaths occurred in the summer months.

According to AEMET, last summer was Spain’s hottest since record-keeping began in 1961.

Spain continues to grapple with exceptionally hot and dry conditions this year. In fact, the country has just recorded its warmest, driest, and sunniest April to date.

In response to the country's debilitating drought and heat crisis, the Spanish government has called an emergency ministerial meeting for Thursday. During this meeting, the government may pass a new measure aimed at protecting workers from extreme heat.