Heatwave: Construction companies are "doing what needs to be done", according to Farandou

"I know that in companies, we are doing what is necessary so that workers can work while preserving their health in relation to these intense heats," Mr. Farandou told BFMTV during a visit to a construction site in Châteaufort (Yvelines).

"Météo France issues advice by department (...) from there, professional structures, particularly the construction industry, have a whole range of measures that they trigger," he explained, while a 2025 decree has strengthened employers' obligations in the event of extreme heat.

When asked about the need to better adapt the Labor Code, he stated that "there are already many obligations placed on companies." "Every business owner is responsible for the health of their employees. (...) They must analyze the risks associated with professional activity, and intense heat is now one of them," he reminded everyone, mentioning staggered work schedules, water provision, breaks, and other related issues.

The CGT union regrets that labor inspectors cannot immediately halt a construction site or activity if they find insufficient preventative measures. These inspectors can issue a formal notice, but the employer then has a minimum of eight days to implement corrective measures, the union laments.

According to Mr. Farandou, the new occupational health plan, drawn up every five years and expected next week, "will have a specific chapter on the ecological transition and climate change." "We will be updating a number of recommendations," he said.

On Tuesday in the Drôme region, a 19-year-old, who had worked on a roof all day, felt unwell at the end of the day. His father took him to the hospital in Die, where he died, according to the Drôme gendarmerie.

The public prosecutor's office has ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death. On Tuesday, maximum temperatures exceeded 32°C in Die.

"It is a human tragedy (...) which deeply saddens me," reacted Mr. Farandou, while stressing that "the investigation must be allowed to proceed to establish precisely the cause of this fatal accident and, subsequently, the evaluation of the measures taken by the company to ensure the maximum safety of its employees' health."

On Friday, the head of the Ecologists, Marine Tondelier, said she was "very angry," recalling that she had proposed on May 1st "the implementation in France of a climate leave inspired by what has been done in Spain" in the event of severe heat.

She acknowledged that some employers were taking initiatives, "but this is not the case for everyone. And that is precisely why laws are made, (...) to put limits on employers, to set limits on heat that are tolerable and to protect workers," she said, denouncing a "political mistake."

Image illustrating the article via Depositphotos.com.