Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing

The measure is intended to benefit workers so that they can work during hours when the heat is less intense, bringing forward the start of activity to 7 am and allowing it to finish later, at 9 pm.

Given the generalised rise in temperatures in recent years and recurrent heatwaves, Barcelona City Council, through a Mayoral Decree, is to authorise changes in hours for works to be able to adapt to the circumstances if there is an alert or an emergency, prioritising the well-being, safety and health of workers.

With the new regulation, whenever the State Meteorology Agency or the competent body activates the action plan for heatwaves at the alert or emergency stage, the change to hours for works will be allowed, meaning that all works can start an hour earlier at 7 am and finish an hour later, at 9 pm. In all cases, the use of machinery to carry out noisy work must be within the hours of 8 am and 8 pm.

Barcelona’s by-law on the environment states that the hours for works are from 8 am to 6 pm for services and trench work, and from 8 am to 9 pm for all other works, from Monday to Friday. The by-law also establishes that the use of machinery is between 8 am and 8 pm, and that this can only be varied in special cases.

Heat Plan

Barcelona City Council activated the preventive stage of the Heat Plan on 15 June and will keep it in place until 15 September. During this time, teams keep everything ready in case specific heat alerts are activated and municipal resources are mobilised for the general public. The City Council has a plan with resources for the general public in the summer months, such as the activation of 350 climate shelters and protection measures for municipal workers.

In addition, a notable measure in the case of municipal workers consists of bringing forward service hours to reduce exposure to heat during the central part of the working day, and the adaptation of the working day to reduce the number of hours workers are exposed to the heat. This measure is accompanied by a revision of clothing, to introduce clothes that protect workers and at the same time are lighter and fresher, plus mobile air-conditioning units for workplaces that do not have cooling systems.