15.02.2023

MEASURES FOR WORK AT LOW TEMPERATURES

Employers should take special measures to protect the life and health of workers, and winter temperatures impose additional requirements on employers. They are specified in the Ordinance on the minimum requirements for the microclimate of workplaces.

Organizational and/or technical measures can be taken to minimize the risk to the health and life of workers. For example, changing working hours in order to avoid working in the coldest hours of the day, or introducing more frequent breaks. Other measures may be changing the type of work by assigning one that is safer under given conditions, providing appropriate work clothing and personal protective equipment or collective protective equipment (in this case, those that protect against hypothermia and frostbite). Rooms with conditions for restoring the thermal balance of the body, hot drinks, etc. can also be provided.

It is mandatory to have monitoring or means of communication with outdoor workers in isolated workplaces, as well as first aid and provision for appropriate transportation in the event of a sudden deterioration of health to a medical facility.

The Ordinance on the minimum requirements for the microclimate also describes the optimal and permissible minimum and maximum air temperature values in the cold and warm periods of the year for light, medium and heavy physical work indoors. At low temperatures, the optimal values vary between 16 and 23 degrees, and the permissible ones - from 13 to 25 degrees, with lower temperatures being permissible, respectively, during heavy physical work.

Outdoor work must be suspended during dangerously low or high temperatures, thunderstorms, heavy precipitation, high winds, and dense fog, designated as "orange" or "red" by the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, if they pose a threat to life and the health of workers and for the safe performance of work.

Exceptionally, work is not suspended when it comes to work related to the defense of the country. It is not suspended for work related to the prevention of disasters and accidents and for controlling and overcoming their consequences. Also for carrying out urgent socially necessary works to restore water supply, electricity supply, heating, sewage, transport and communication links and providing medical assistance.

If these requirements are not met, inspectors from the General Labor Inspectorate can carry out an inspection and impose a fine of BGN 1,500 to BGN 15,000. In case of a repeated violation, the penalty jumps from BGN 20,000 to BGN 30,000.

Reference:

Ordinance No. RD-07-3 of 18.07.2014 on the minimum requirements for the microclimate of workplaces