BSPK calls for construction work to be suspended from 11:00 to 17:00 amid heatwave

The Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Kosovo (BSPK) has called on the relevant authorities to take immediate measures to protect construction workers during the current heatwave, warning that high temperatures are significantly increasing the risk of accidents and loss of life at worksites.

According to the BSPK, the construction sector continues to record the highest number of workplace accidents and fatalities in Kosovo. In 2025 alone, the Labour Inspectorate has registered 602 workplace injury cases, 33 percent of which occurred in the construction sector.

The unions note that more than 170 workers have lost their lives at work since 2018, and that 2025 has already been recorded as the deadliest year on record. In July of last year alone, three workers died at construction sites in Gjakova and Peja during a period of extreme heat.

The BSPK also expressed concern over a lack of supervisory capacity. According to the confederation, the whole of Kosovo is covered by just 53 labour inspectors, a number it considers wholly insufficient to oversee more than 1,000 active construction sites and tens of thousands of other workplaces.

"The Chief Labour Inspector himself has acknowledged that the current number of inspectors does not meet the real needs of the labour market," the BSPK said in its statement.

The unions are calling on institutions to adopt measures similar to those taken in July 2024, when the Ministry of Health ordered a suspension of work in the construction sector from 11:00 to 17:00 due to temperatures exceeding 36 degrees Celsius.

The BSPK stressed that providing drinking water, shaded rest areas, regular breaks and work stoppages during the hottest hours of the day are legal obligations, not privileges.

Beyond the private sector, the union also raised concerns about working conditions in public institutions, saying it had received complaints from public administration employees about inadequate ventilation, non-functioning air conditioning systems and high temperatures affecting their health and productivity.

The BSPK urged public institutions to ensure appropriate working conditions during the heatwave period, including adequate ventilation and the organisation of work processes in line with the risks posed by extreme heat.

Finally, the BSPK called on the Labour Inspectorate, the Ministry of Health and other responsible institutions to step up inspections and monitoring of compliance with protective measures across all workplaces.

"Occupational safety and health must not become a topic only after a tragedy has occurred. Protecting the lives, health and dignity of workers must be a permanent priority for institutions and employers alike," the BSPK said in its statement.