Red Weather Warning Triggered as Extreme Heat Expected for Wednesday

A red weather warning has been triggered for Wednesday across most of Luxembourg due to the current heatwave.

MeteoLux has forecast maximum temperatures exceeding 35°C tomorrow, mainly in the centre of the country and along the Moselle.

An orange weather warning remains in place for the whole country between 14:00 and 21:00 on Tuesday and between 10:00 and 22:00 on Wednesday with maximum temperatures set to reach between 33 and 35°C. An orange warning also applies to ozone levels between noon and midnight today and tomorrow due to the risk of these exceeding the European information threshold (180 μg / m³).

Due to these high temperatures, the City of Luxembourg has announced that primary school (cycles 1-4) attendance will be optional on Wednesday. A reception service will be provided in schools by the teaching staff according to usual schedules and school transportation will operate normally on 26 June 2019 for those children who decide to attend. Similarly, nurseries in the City of Luxembourg will remain open tomorrow, according to their usual schedules.

In addition, the Inspectorate of Labour and Mines (ITM) has recalled the obligation of employers to ensure the health and safety of employees in all work-related aspects in the context of this heatwave. Concerning work outdoors, the ITM has recommended the provision or development of shaded, preferably well-ventilated areas for employees. The employer should also supply the workers occupying workstations with sufficient amounts of temperate drinking water (3-4 litres of water per day, depending on the work), as well as reducing workstations requiring sustained and prolonged physical activity near or in contact with metal sheets, concrete or tarmac surfaces positioned in direct sunlight. 

The ITM has also recommended the provision of mechanical assistance for heavy work, ensuring the compatibility of personal protection with hot weather and that proper clothing is worn. For sites that do not require specific personal protective clothing, employees should wear headgear protecting the neck, loose, airy and preferably light-coloured clothing, sunglasses and sunscreen. Employers should also favour the use of air-conditioned or self-propelled vehicles and, if possible, adapt personal protective equipment to the heat, for instance safety shoes rather than safety boots.

In the working premises, the ITM recommends monitoring the ambient temperature especially in closed rooms, as well as the thermal insulation of existing buildings or premises (blinds, shutters, wall insulation, solar screens on glass walls, etc.). Regarding work equipment, it is recommended that employers install appliances that generate heat, insulate walls or hot pipes, capture heat or hot steam emissions in a ventilated room, provide staff with useful means to fight against heat (such as auxiliary fans), install air-conditioned areas in workplaces and provide sufficient, temperate drinking water. Furthermore, Luxembourg labour law provides that companies may, under certain conditions, resort to the unemployment scheme due to inclement weather. The steps are available on the MyGuichet.lu platform.