Working at 37 degrees in Laveno, the union reports (cross-border guide)

Context

The Laveno Community House was the subject of a trade union report for working conditions with high temperatures. According to union sources, workers were forced to work in environments with temperatures that exceeded 37 degrees, creating a climate of insecurity and fear for the health of employees.

"The situation has become unsustainable," says the union secretary, "our workers can no longer be exposed to such dangerous working conditions." According to current regulations, the maximum temperature allowed in a work environment is 28 degrees, unless there is a specific rule for particular activities.

According to data from the Statistical Institute, in 2020, 60% of the victims of accidents at work in the Canton of Ticino were due to heat-related causes. In 2019, 30% of deaths at work in Ticino were related to heat-related causes.

With regard to legislation, the Federal Labour Act (LFL) of 1943, section 13, provides that employers are required to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for employees.

According to the Statistical Data Dossier of the Canton of Ticino, in 2020, there were 23 deaths at work, an increase of 10% compared to the previous year.

With regard to temperatures, the legislation provides that employers must guarantee a working environment with a temperature between 18 and 25 degrees, unless a

Operational details

The article does not report more information about the situation, but it is time to address the problem of working in extreme temperatures. In Laveno, on 10 August, the workers' union reported an internal temperature of 37 degrees inside a company that produces food. This episode is just one of the many cases of work in extreme temperatures that are emerging in Ticino.

According to Swiss legislation, the maximum temperature allowed inside a workplace is 28 degrees. This limit is established by article 45 of the federal decree of 26 June 2015 (DF 2015-507) relating to the safety and health of workers. However, in some sectors such as the food industry, the temperature can be above this limit, but only if measures are taken to mitigate the negative effects.

In Bellinzona, for example, the internal temperature of a company that produces meat was recorded at 32 degrees in July. Despite this, the temperature was never higher than 35 degrees and the working conditions were considered acceptable. In this case, the company has taken measures to reduce the internal temperature, such as installing cooling systems and creating rest areas for workers.

However, not all cases are so positive. In Lugano, for example, a clothing company registered an internal temperature of 40 degrees last June. In this

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Key points

If you are a border worker working in a community house in Ticino and find yourself in a similar situation, you may want to contact the union for more information. Hot weather like the current summer season, it can be particularly difficult to work in enclosed environments such as community houses, where the temperature can reach 37 degrees, as reported by a recent case in Laveno.

According to Swiss legislation, working hours must be reasonable and not exceed 8 hours per day (art. 14, Labour Act of 13 March 1943). However, in cases of emergency or necessity, it is possible to derogate from this rule, but only with the authorization of the labor department (art. 16, Labor Law of March 13, 1943).

In Ticino, community houses are subject to the rules of the decree of the State Council of 15 October 2002, which regulates social and health services. According to this regulation, service operators must be able to work in different environments and with varying temperatures.

Here are some examples of how you might approach the situation:

• Contact the union for information and support: If you are a union member, you can contact your representative for information and support. Otherwise, you can try to contact a union representative near you.
• Ask your employer to improve working conditions: if the temperature is too high, you may ask your employer to

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Source: varesenoi.it