The Ministry sends an appeal to employers

Namely, the Ministry appeals to employers that during the duration of high outside temperatures, above 36°C, and especially in the period from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., if the work process allows, to organize work outdoors, in construction, agriculture, communal activities, on such a way to avoid performing heavy physical work and exposing employees to direct solar radiation, by the Recommendation adopted by the Government of the Republic of Serbia in 2007.

The Ministry adopted the Guidelines for safe and healthy work outdoors at high temperatures, which should help employers and employees minimize health risks when working outdoors at high temperatures and guide them on how to act in the event of health problems related to working at high temperatures.

Employers are obliged to provide employees with work at the workplace and in a working environment where occupational safety and health measures have been implemented, the Ministry announced.

The employer is obliged to consider the risks to the health of employees who work outdoors at high temperatures with the Act on Workplace Risk Assessment in the working environment and to arrange workplaces in open spaces in such a way that employees working in those workplaces are protected from unfavorable weather conditions and have first aid provided.

Occupational safety and health measures in the Republic of Serbia are determined, first by the Regulation on Occupational Safety and Health at Temporary or Mobile Construction Sites, the Ordinance on Occupational Safety in Agriculture, the Ordinance on Preventive Measures for Safe and Healthy Work at the Workplace, as well as other regulations in the field of safety and health at work.

Employers are obliged to implement regulations in the field of safety and health at work, and the control of their implementation is carried out by the Labor Inspectorate. During the inspection, related to the work of employees outdoors at high temperatures, labor inspectors, among other things, check whether the employer has taken into account the risks to the health of employees who work outdoors at high temperatures and whether workplaces in the open space on temporary and mobile construction sites are arranged in such a way that the employees working at those workplaces are protected from adverse weather conditions and have first aid provided, whether the employer has provided an appropriate number of trained employees to provide first aid, that has provided a sufficient amount of drinking water for employees, as well as a place for rest, i.e. protection of employees from the sun.

If the employee is not provided with work at the workplace and in a working environment where occupational safety and health measures have been implemented, the Law on Occupational Safety and Health prescribes a fine for the employer as a legal entity from 1,500,000 to 2,000,000 dinars, for a responsible person in a legal entity from 50,000 to 150,000 dinars, while a fine of 400,000 to 500,000 dinars is prescribed for an entrepreneur. Employees can report to the labor inspectorate an employer who has not taken measures for their safe and healthy work outdoors during high outdoor temperatures, and this report can also be anonymous. The labor inspection will immediately carry out inspection supervision, determine the factual situation and take appropriate measures within the scope of the labor inspection's competence.

Contact information of departments, divisions and groups of labor inspection are highlighted on the website of the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs: https://www.minrzs.gov.rs/sr/kontakt.