Greece Implements Strict Heatwave Measures: New 12pm-5pm Work Rules To Protect Workers

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

With a heatwave forecast to impact astir of Greece and temperatures rising crossed nan continent, nan Greek Labour Ministry has taken action to instrumentality caller rules ensuring those moving during nan the hottest portion of nan time are kept safe. As nan mercury is predicted to soar past 40°C this week, nan authorities is cracking down to guarantee labor moving successful utmost power are not put astatine risk. The caller regulations will effect building laborers arsenic good arsenic those successful transportation and method jobs successful respective areas of Greece.

The Hellenic National Meteorological Service has issued a ‘Moderate High-Temperature Warning’ arsenic portion of an ongoing effort to mitigate nan effects of nan heat. The caller rules, effective from 12:00 to 17:00, prohibit manual outdoor activity during these highest hours successful nan astir affected areas of Greece. The Ministry’s involution intends to guarantee nan information and well-being of workers during a play erstwhile heatwaves person been causing temperatures to scope scorching levels crossed Europe.

Who Is Affected by nan Heatwave Rules?

The government’s caller regulations chiefly target manual workers who are exposed to nan aggravated midday heat. These workers are often progressive successful high-risk jobs specified arsenic construction, repairs, and deliveries. With nan power expected to scope hazardous levels, employers are urged to modify moving conditions and, wherever possible, let unit to activity remotely aliases return different measures to debar vulnerability during nan 12pm to 5pm period.

If businesses neglect to comply pinch these caller rules, they look superior financial consequences. Individuals who are recovered disregarding nan regulations could beryllium fined up to €2,000, a stark informing to employers who whitethorn not return these precautionary measures seriously.

The afloat database of affected areas includes lowland regions, coastal cities, and islands crossed Greece. Some of nan circumstantial areas deed hardest by nan caller heatwave measures are:

• Evros (Soufli area)
• Serres (Serres area)
• Larissa (Larissa area)
• Viotia (Aliartos area)
• Halkidiki (Polygyros area)
• Imathia (Veria area)
• Trikala
• Fthiotida
• Aitoloakarnania
• Ionian Islands
• Eastern Rhodes
• Coastal areas of Corinth, Argolida, Arcadia, Laconia, and Messinia

Employers successful these areas must adhere to nan cessation of manual activity outdoors betwixt nan hours of 12:00 and 17:00. This includes activity connected building sites, method projects, vessel repair zones, and deliveries involving two-wheeled vehicles specified arsenic motorcycles, scooters, and moreover roller skates.

What Are nan Exceptions?

Most outdoor manual activity is prohibited during these highest power hours, though definite captious sectors are exempted from nan rules. Health services, h2o supply, powerfulness supply, transport, involving air, sea, onshore and rail, however, are extracurricular of nan cessation of work. In addition, those companies that straight support nationalist inferior services, including wellness units, emergency transport, must beryllium capable to activity during nan play specified, while applying nan method and organizational measures required to guarantee nan wellness of their employees.

Moreover, while transportation services are mostly prohibited from utilizing two-wheelers during these hours, different forms of delivery, including those made via backstage aliases nationalist vehicles pinch aerial conditioning, are allowed to continue.

Why These Measures Are Necessary

Greece has been enduring utmost upwind conditions for respective weeks, pinch temperatures reaching dangerously precocious levels crossed nan country. Earlier this month, nan celebrated Acropolis successful Athens was forced to adjacent for respective hours arsenic nan power made it unsafe for visitors and workers alike. The existent heatwave has been wreaking havoc crossed confederate Europe, and Greece is nary alien to these precocious temperatures.

The government’s determination to instrumentality these stringent rules comes arsenic portion of a broader effort to protect workers, peculiarly those successful high-risk jobs, from nan life-threatening effects of power stress. Heat-related illnesses, specified arsenic power stroke, dehydration, and power exhaustion, tin origin terrible wellness consequences if not managed properly. By limiting outdoor activity during nan hottest hours of nan day, nan authorities hopes to forestall accidents and safeguard nan wellness of nan labour force.

Additionally, location is simply a increasing interest astir wildfires, which person go a existent threat successful these sweltering conditions. The Greek authorities remains connected precocious alert, monitoring nan business and taking basal precautions to forestall nan dispersed of fires that could exacerbate nan challenges posed by nan heatwave.

What Happens if nan Rules Are Ignored?

Employers who neglect to adhere to nan caller regulations look important penalties, pinch fines reaching arsenic precocious arsenic €2,000 per individual for violating nan activity cessation rule. This good serves arsenic a beardown deterrent for businesses who whitethorn beryllium tempted to place nan wellness and information of their labor during these utmost upwind conditions.

The authorities has made it clear that these regulations are successful spot to protect nan workforce and guarantee that Greece’s system tin proceed to run safely, moreover during nan astir aggravated upwind events. It is basal that each businesses comply pinch these guidelines to debar fines and, much importantly, to guarantee nan well-being of their employees.

Looking Ahead: More Measures May Be Enforced

Amid nan ongoing summertime heatwave, and pinch temperatures expected to soar further still, further regulations to safeguard workers and forestall further wide disruptions whitethorn beryllium introduced. In steerage, arsenic nan world continues to grapple pinch accrued inclement weather, wardens will beryllium nan Greeks’ committedness to a safe moving situation for all. Those heading to Greece this summertime should beryllium mindful of nan heatwave and really everything runs.

For section laborers, they connection a invited reprieve from nan scorching summertime temperatures. The effects of nan heatwave connected nan Greek system and tourism are difficult to overestimate, and truthful Greece is already being proactive successful bid to guarantee some locals and visitors tin person nosy and bask nan summertime season.