"We are moving from incentive to obligation": new rules to combat heat at work as of July 1

"We need to adapt the world of work." As France experiences a violent heatwave , Labor Minister Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet stated on RMC on Monday that employers must now be required to implement measures to protect employees.

Maximum temperatures expected midweek are between 37 and 40°C , according to Météo-France forecasts. Almost the entire country is affected.

"With climate change, heatwaves are arriving much earlier and are much more intense and frequent. We are moving from a logic of incentives to a logic of employer obligations to be able to prevent heat risk," the government member explained on Apolline Matin .

>> Follow our live coverage of the heatwave.

To impose measures on businesses, Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet is relying on a decree on the protection of workers against heat-related risks, which comes into effect on Tuesday. The minister promises "extremely concrete" measures.

"We are introducing heat as an occupational hazard," assures Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet.

This means that a gradation will be implemented based on work sectors and different professions. The implementation of measures will then be required according to the gradation. The minister cites, for example, "schedules," which could be adjusted. "For example, when working in construction, we can start earlier or introduce breaks," she explains.

These may also include measures related to hydration, with the obligation to provide employees with a certain amount of water. The decree specifies that "in the absence of running water, the employer must ensure the provision of at least 3 liters of water per day per worker."

Obligations may also include "personal protective equipment" provided by the company, "to limit or compensate for the effects of high temperatures." "Sun visors, fans, and misting devices" must also be made available to employees to "reduce solar radiation."

The minister added that companies will also have to provide "clothing that must be breathable." These must allow "a stable body temperature to be maintained," according to the decree.

To ensure that these various measures are implemented, Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet assures that "the labor inspectorate will increase its inspections during the summer period." The body "may formally issue formal notices to the employer if the obligations are not met."

"The labor inspectorate carried out 1,500 inspections during the summer period last year and we will increase them this year," she insists, while last year's inspections were mainly carried out in the construction, agriculture and catering sectors.

The Minister of Labor stated that this decree was drafted and developed after "consulting with social partners." "All employees are affected and must protect themselves from the heat," she concluded.