Egyptian Center: Heatwaves Threaten the Lives of Millions of Workers; Luxor Governorate’s Decision Should Be Implemented Nationwide
The Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR) welcomes the decision issued by Engineer Abdel Muttaleb Emara, Governor of Luxor, prohibiting the deployment of field sanitation workers in streets and public squares throughout the governorate’s cities and administrative districts during peak summer hours, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., in order to protect their health and safety from direct exposure to intense sunlight and severe heatwaves. The measure will remain in force until 15 September. The Center calls upon the competent authorities to adopt similar measures nationwide, together with additional protective interventions aimed at safeguarding all persons exposed to the risks associated with rising temperatures.
The Governor’s decision further provided for the implementation of an alternative work schedule under which sanitation workers are assigned to two shifts to ensure that public sanitation services within the governorate are not adversely affected. Under this arrangement, the first shift concludes at 11:00 a.m., while the evening shift commences at 5:00 p.m., thereby ensuring the continued efficiency of waste collection and removal operations outside peak heat periods.
At the same time, the solar energy project located in Al-Raqaba Village and the Benban area of Aswan Governorate recently witnessed the death of one worker and the collapse and severe exhaustion of several others as a result of extreme heat exposure and heatstroke sustained at the worksite. This occurred amid record-breaking temperatures that reached 49°C across the governorate. Following the incident, a number of workers organized a protest demanding the provision of occupational safety and health measures to protect them from the hazards associated with elevated temperatures. However, the responsible authorities have yet to adopt any tangible measures to address this incident.
In this context, the Egyptian Center reiterates its call upon the relevant authorities to take urgent measures to protect workers from heat-stress-related risks. The Center further urges the strict enforcement of employers’ and establishments’ obligations to implement preventive measures, enhanced monitoring and inspection of non-compliant workplaces, and decisive action against violations in order to safeguard workers’ lives. The Center also calls for consideration of compensation mechanisms for workers who may incur losses as a result of such protective measures.
The Center further emphasizes the need to reduce working hours during periods of extreme heat, increase the frequency of rest breaks, and provide cool and shaded rest areas. It also advocates scheduling heat-intensive work during cooler periods of the day, reducing the physical demands placed on workers, assigning additional personnel to physically demanding tasks, and minimizing physical exertion through the provision of appropriate equipment and tools. Employers should further ensure the availability of cold drinking water and other cooling fluids, together with designated hydration breaks; appoint supervisors trained in the prevention, identification, and management of heat-related illnesses to monitor workers for signs and symptoms of heat-related health conditions; and ensure the availability of adequate first-aid equipment and supplies for immediate intervention.
The Center also calls for the expedited implementation of the Government’s digital transformation and public-service automation plan, including health insurance services, state-funded medical treatment, licensing procedures, real estate registration services, and other public services, particularly those serving patients and older persons, who are among the most vulnerable groups and face heightened risks of heat stress. Such measures would help prevent additional health risks arising from physical fatigue and psychological stress associated with conventional administrative procedures.
With every heatwave, the issue of heat stress and the health consequences of working in high temperatures and under direct sunlight returns to the forefront. This occurs at a time when workers in many vital sectors across the country continue to lack adequate occupational safety standards and effective protection from such risks. Accordingly, the responsible authorities must adopt the necessary measures to address unprecedented increases and fluctuations in temperatures and to prevent tens of millions of workers from being exposed to serious health risks, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and, in some cases, death.
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), heat stress occurs when environmental temperatures exceed levels that the human body can safely tolerate, typically when temperatures rise above 35°C in conditions of high humidity.
Excessive heat in the workplace constitutes a serious occupational health hazard, as it impairs workers’ physical functions and capacities, diminishes their ability to perform work, and consequently reduces productivity. In severe cases, it may result in heatstroke, which can be fatal.
The risks associated with heat stress are particularly acute in the governorates of southern Upper Egypt—namely Sohag, Qena, Luxor, Aswan, and the Red Sea Governorate—where the number of employed persons is estimated at 3,086,800 workers, according to the latest statistics issued by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS). One of these governorates, Aswan, recorded the highest temperature in the world, reaching 49.6°C in the shade, making it the hottest location on Earth and exceeding the maximum threshold prescribed under labour and environmental regulations by approximately 17°C. According to CAPMAS data for 2024, the governorate employs approximately 478,400 workers.
The adverse effects are also increasing among workers engaged in physically demanding occupations requiring direct exposure to heat. These include, without limitation, workers in agriculture, fishing, mining, quarrying, forestry, manufacturing, electricity and gas supply, water supply, sewage and waste management services, construction, wholesale and retail trade, vehicle maintenance and repair, transportation and storage, accommodation and food services, bakeries, and delivery services. According to the latest official statistics, the total number of workers employed in these sectors amounts to 21,798,800.
Ministerial Decree No. 211 of 2003 concerning Safety Limits and the Requirements and Precautions Necessary to Prevent Physical, Mechanical, Biological, Chemical, and Ergonomic Hazards and to Secure the Working Environment—issued by the then Ministry of Manpower and Migration (currently the Ministry of Labour)—established permissible occupational heat-exposure limits in workplaces. The Decree prescribed mandatory rest periods ranging from 25% to 75% of working time, depending on workload intensity and temperatures ranging between 25°C and 32°C.
The Decree further classified workload into three categories: light work, including operating machinery while standing or sitting and performing light manual tasks; moderate work, including walking while carrying out light tasks or work involving pushing or pulling; and heavy work, including excavation, loading operations, or climbing while carrying loads.
Over the past twenty-one years, no amendments have been made to the Ministerial Decree despite temperature increases approaching 17°C above the maximum threshold stipulated therein. Likewise, no revisions have been undertaken with respect to occupational safety and health policies in workplaces. This is despite calls by the International Labour Organization for greater efforts to design, finance, and implement national policies addressing heat-stress risks and protecting workers. Such measures include the development of appropriate infrastructure, the enhancement of heatwave early-warning systems, and the strengthened implementation of international labour standards, including occupational safety and health standards, to support the formulation of policies capable of addressing the risks arising from rising temperatures.
