Spain is experiencing a summer marked by high temperatures. Some parts of the country have exceeded 40° Celsius and, so far, there have been three heat waves. A situation that, according to the United Nations, will last until 2060 regardless of whether climate change is mitigated.
Given this scenario, among the most vulnerable are those who work outdoors, many of whom are of Latin American origin. According to data from the State Public Employment Service (SEPE), in 2021 almost 60% of foreigners affiliated with the Spanish social security carried out jobs related to agriculture, cleaning or maintenance, or were hired within the service sector; jobs that, in many cases and most of the time, require being outdoors.
Precisely one of the sectors that implies that its workers spend almost the entire working day on the street is that of food distribution, a group that grew exponentially during the pandemic and that is made up of a large number of Venezuelan migrants, known as “ riders”.
One of them is Javier Contreras, a “rider” originally from Caracas and currently based in Barcelona, who spoke with the voice of america about the impact heat has on your working life. “Since I’m on a motorcycle, the air hits me, but, however, when the air gets hot it’s impossible to work this way, but hey, we have no other choice” he explained.
Despite coming from a country with mostly warm temperatures, the young man stressed that some of his compatriots have not quite gotten used to the extreme heat of the Spanish city, which this summer exceeded 37 degrees Celsius.
“Recently, a great friend who is a fellow rider, had a downturn and fainted, they had to call the emergency room so they could attend to him because he was a slightly older person.”
To combat the heat and avoid episodes that put his health at risk, Contreras pointed out that constantly hydrating, eating well “so that the body stays alert”, and moistening the face and neck with a damp towel are some of the techniques he uses. to work despite high temperatures.
Nicolás Tonon, also living in Barcelona, is another member of the Latin American community who works on the streets. Originally from Mendoza, Argentina, and graduated in physical education, he offers individual and group training outdoors in different parts of Barcelona, so enduring the extreme heat has become his day to day.
“The weather is very heavy. When the sun starts to hit a bit, it gets a bit complicated,” said the young man, who also mentioned that, due to the heat, the hours in which his clients want to play sports have changed.
“The times that people want to train are between 7 and 9 in the morning and 7 and 10 at night.”
On the other hand, he explained that he has had to adapt his classes so that the students can train in the most comfortable way possible.
“Offering them a place to be in the shade, where there is a breeze and always educating the person to be well hydrated (…) I always seek to reduce the intensity during the summer season because the heat is a factor that greatly influences it.”
But, what do Spanish laws say about those who work outdoors? Although there is a rule that regulates the work carried out in closed spaces, in the case of employees who work outdoors, the companies themselves are in charge of regulating the work and complying with the Occupational Risk Prevention Law.
This summer, following the death of two men while working, several political groups and unions that watch over the rights of workers asked both the government and local administrations to implement a regulation to protect the collective.
Recently, the Spanish government presented a special plan to protect employees from high temperatures, which, Moncloa explained, consists of carrying out more inspections among workers in sectors such as agriculture, and amplifying knowledge about occupational risks. .
At a European level, the European Confederation of Trade Unions proposed at the end of July the implementation of a law that regulates work in high temperatures. The organization ensures that when the thermometer exceeds 30 degrees, the risk of occupational accidents increases between 5% and 7%, and above 38 degrees, accidents are between 10% and 15% more likely.
Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channel Youtube and turn on notifications, or follow us on social networks: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Add Comment