Bulgaria heat at work: employer duties under RD-07-3/2014

Ordinance No. RD-07-3 of 18 July 2014 sets minimum microclimate requirements for indoor workplaces and protections for outdoor work. Indoors the permissible temperature is up to 28 degrees, with an exception up to 33 in very hot weather. Failure is sanctioned under Article 413(2) of the Labour Code at 1,500 to 15,000 leva.

The violation an inspector finds

A construction site keeps a third country crew on a full afternoon shift in July during an orange heat warning from the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (NIMH), with no shaded or cooled rest room. The inspector finds the gap and the employer faces 1,500 to 15,000 leva under Article 413(2) of the Labour Code, unless a heavier penalty applies.

Construction and agriculture are focus sectors for microclimate checks. In 2025 the inspectorate handled about 50 complaints about work in high temperatures.

Indoor temperature limits

In the warm period the optimal temperature depends on how demanding the work is. The ordinance distinguishes light, medium and heavy work.

An employer with production halls, warehouses or kitchens should measure temperature through the warm months and record its measures once readings approach 28 degrees.

Measures for outdoor work

For outdoor work in heat, the inspectorate lists more breaks in air conditioned rest rooms, shifted working hours and changed tasks as organisational measures. The employer provides enough cooling drinks and air conditioned rooms for breaks on hot days.

When NIMH issues a red or orange warning for heat, storms or heavy rain, the employer adjusts the work schedule. Outdoor work stops during strong winds, heavy rain and thunderstorms.

A site manager can turn these duties into a short written routine for the warm months:

1. Check the NIMH warning for the region each morning and record the colour code in the site log.
2. On a red or orange heat warning, move heavy tasks to the morning and shorten the afternoon shift or change its tasks.
3. Keep a shaded or air conditioned rest room within reach of the work area, with cooling drinks in sufficient quantity.
4. Schedule additional breaks and record them, so the measure can be shown to an inspector.
5. Stop outdoor work during strong winds, heavy rain or a thunderstorm, and record the stop and the restart time.

The written record matters because the inspector judges the measures taken on the day, not the policy on file. A crew recruited from abroad should receive the routine in a language it understands at induction.

For third country workers housed by the employer, rest conditions and accommodation are also checked, see worker accommodation requirements for employers.

Sanctions under the Labour Code

The Labour Code is published on lex.bg.

Workers can report on the national line 0700 17 670. The general inspection process is covered in Labour Inspectorate penalties for foreign workers. Employers hiring crews for construction or agriculture can post vacancies on the job board.