A sanitation worker's death from acute circulatory failure, as Egypt faces a severe heatwave, has prompted a rights group to demand nationwide measures to protect millions of workers from deadly heat stress.
Saeed Mohamed Abdel Hamid, 54, collapsed while cleaning a street in Sharqia governorate, sparking a response from the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights. The group called for urgent action from the labor minister to implement safeguards across all public and private sectors.
Following Abdel Hamid's death, several governorates, including Giza and Aswan, have already banned sanitation workers from performing outdoor tasks during peak midday temperatures. The ECESR praised these bans as a “step in the right direction,” but stressed that a piecemeal approach is not enough.
In a statement today, ECESR urged the ministry to ensure all public- and private-sector employers provide safe working environments. It warned that any injury linked to high heat should be treated as an occupational injury warranting compensation, and that negligence could lead to criminal liability.
The severe heatwave is expected to peak on Wednesday and Thursday.
Temperatures in Greater Cairo are predicted to exceed 40°C, with "feels like" temperatures reaching 43°C due to high humidity.
The southern regions of the country are facing even more extreme conditions, with forecast highs of 47°C.
The Egyptian Meteorological Authority has issued warnings and attributed the heatwave to a combination of a seasonal Indian monsoon low and the Sudan low, which are driving hot air masses into the region.
A gradual drop in temperatures is expected to begin on Saturday.
ECESR reiterated its previous call for emergency measures to counter heatwaves, including shorter working hours, more shaded rest breaks, cold drinking water, and health monitors to track workers’ well-being.
These measures, it stressed, are the “minimum” protections needed for millions of workers and should be included in national emergency plans and updated regulations, such as Ministerial Decree No. 211 of 2003, to reflect record temperature rises.
It also called for faster digitization of essential services to shield vulnerable groups from physical and mental strain during extreme heat.
A June 2024 ECESR report had warned of heat stress risks amid unprecedented temperatures in Egypt, noting many sectors lack occupational safety standards. The paper criticized authorities for failing to act on shifting temperature patterns, exposing tens of millions to potentially fatal hazards.
Citing global examples, ECESR noted that China halts outdoor work when temperatures exceed 40C, Qatar at 32.1C, and Thailand at varying thresholds depending on work intensity. By contrast, Egypt’s labor and civil service laws have no provisions for heat-related leave.
Neither Egypt's current labor law nor the Civil Service Law, which governs state employees, provides for official leave due to high temperatures.
According to the report, workers in agriculture, fishing, mining, quarrying, timber, manufacturing, utilities, construction, retail, transport, food service, bakeries, and delivery are most at risk, with 21.8 million people employed in these sectors, according to the latest official figures.
A 2024 International Labour Organization report states that more than 70% of the global workforce—around 2.4 billion people—faces potential health risks from climate change and extreme heat during their careers.
The report details these risks, finding that over 22 million people suffer heat-related illnesses or injuries annually; 1.6 billion are exposed to UV radiation; and about 20,000 die each year from heat-linked workplace injuries, in addition to nearly 19,000 annual deaths from non-melanoma skin cancer.
