Lombardy bans outdoor work during peak heat hours to protect workers

The Lombardy regional government has issued a binding ordinance, signed by President Attilio Fontana, that forbids outdoor work between 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on days when the Worklimate platform signals a high heat‑stress risk. The measure applies from 10 June 2023 until 23 September 2026 to workers in agriculture, floriculture, open‑air construction sites and quarries.

Exceptions are allowed for public‑utility tasks, urgent civil‑protection operations and other emergencies, with employers still required to adopt heat‑mitigation measures. Non‑compliance may be prosecuted under article 650 of the Italian Penal Code. The ordinance also advises municipalities to grant temporary relaxations of noise‑regulation rules so that work can be shifted to cooler early‑morning or evening periods, and encourages the use of micro‑climate monitoring tools such as thermo‑hygrometers.