Politics Construction work halted due to heat should not incur a contractual penalty
If work on construction sites comes to a standstill due to the heat, companies should no longer risk contractual penalties for delays. This is what the National Council's Economic Affairs Committee is demanding in a motion.
20.08.2024, 17:42
SDA
The motion was passed by the National Council's Committee for Economic Affairs and Taxation (WAK-N) by 15 votes to 7 with one abstention, as reported by the parliamentary services on Tuesday. It sees public building owners in particular as having a duty.
With the motion, the committee wants to help a joint request from master builders and trade unions to be implemented as quickly as possible. The no votes came from the SVP.
According to the motion, companies should be able to ensure health and safety in the workplace in extreme heat by stopping work without risking penalties. A temperature in figures was not mentioned.
Public clients in particular must provide rules that allow for the deadlines to be adjusted if outdoor work is no longer reasonable and the protection of workers' health can no longer be guaranteed.
Heat increases the risk of accidents and health problems on construction sites, writes the WAK-N, pointing out that employers are responsible for health protection.
If measures such as adjusted working hours, limiting overtime and regular breaks are not enough to ensure the safety of employees, the only option is to stop work. Tight schedules make it increasingly difficult to interrupt construction work in hot weather.
The National Council will decide on the motion next.
