As scorching temperatures grip Cyprus, the Department of Labor Inspection has ramped up workplace checks to protect outdoor workers from heat exhaustion, carrying out 128 inspections in just two days and issuing multiple fines and work stoppages.
The move follows the Meteorology Department’s orange heat warning, which triggered a legal ban on outdoor heavy and moderate labor, including transporting and delivering goods, between noon and 4 p.m. The measure applies to inland areas below 300 meters altitude and high mountainous areas above 1,150 meters.
Senior labor officer Marina Kouyiali told the Cyprus News Agency that 11 out-of-court fines were issued, along with nine notices and seven full or partial work stoppages where serious risks to workers were identified.
“These inspections take place all summer long, but we’ve intensified them in response to the ongoing heatwave,” Kouyiali said, noting that construction sites and outdoor manual labor are a particular target.
While some worksites were found in full compliance, others ignored the ban, facing fines that start at 500 euros and can go up to €1,000, depending on severity.