Too hot in Lombardy, stop to external work from 12.30 to 16: who stops

Governor signs emergency order

Stop outdoor work in Lombardy from 12:30 to 16 due to the stifling heat. This is provided for by the ordinance of the President of the Lombardy Region Attilio Fontana which aims to protect the health and safety of workers exposed to high temperatures.

The ordinance will come into force from 00.01 on Wednesday 2 July, and will be in force until 15 September 2025, the Region informs in a note. The provision regulates the ban on outdoor work activities between 12.30 and 16.00 in construction areas, quarries, agricultural and horticultural companies, limited to the days in which the daily map published daily online (on worklimate.it) and referring to: 'workers exposed to the sun' with 'intense physical activity' at 12 o'clock, indicates a 'High' risk level.

"Our priority is to protect the health of workers," Fontana said, "especially in times like these when the heat becomes particularly unbearable. The ordinance represents an important step to ensure that production activities are carried out in compliance with health and safety conditions." The text also recalls the importance of the 'Guidelines for the protection of workers from heat and solar radiation', approved by the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces and which constitute a summary of the various documents issued by the Regions and PA, including Lombardy. Urgent and public utility activities are excluded from the application of the ban, provided that all the required prevention measures are adopted: "We had already sent the guidelines for the protection of workers on June 13," added the Lombardy president, "we are transforming the recommendations into a concrete measure to effectively protect those who work outdoors during the hottest hours."

The stop does not apply to everyone

The ban does not apply to public administrations, public service concessionaires, their contractors, civil protection and public safety interventions. The ordinance will be published in the Official Bulletin of the Lombardy Region (Burl) and on the institutional website of the Regional Council and will be sent to the Prefects, the mayors of the Lombardy municipalities, the ATS, ASST, trade unions, representatives of businesses and trade associations, so that all necessary measures can be adopted. Finally, the regional note recalls that violation of the provisions entails sanctions as set out in art. 650 of the penal code, without prejudice to the application of any more serious crimes. "We will continue to carefully monitor the situation - concluded the governor - and to adopt all necessary measures".