On July 19, the State Labor Inspectorate announced that it had issued an official directive to all provincial administrations to protect the lives and health of sanitation and municipal cleanup workers during the extreme heatwave.
The agency also published mandatory guidelines for all government bodies and private organizations of all ownership types. These rules strictly prohibit holding meetings or community service projects during extreme heat.
The move followed a social media video from July 17 showing municipal cleanup crews working in the streets at the height of the heatwave. Furthermore, over the weekend, residents across various districts in Tashkent reported that neighborhood (mahalla) officials were urging them to participate in a hashar (voluntary community cleanup), with one notice explicitly calling on residents to join "to protect the honor of the mahalla."
As early as July 15, the inspectorate had issued recommendations advising all employers to review working conditions for outdoor personnel, urging them to reduce or suspend labor during peak heat hours.
"Organizing mass gatherings and collective outdoor labor is strictly prohibited during this extreme heatwave," the official statement reads. "Prolonged outdoor work under the extreme temperatures currently gripping our republic can cause heatstroke, dehydration, cardiovascular and nervous system failures, and other severe health complications."
The directive regarding municipal cleanup and sanitation workers specifies that tasks posing a threat to health must be temporarily halted between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM, and flexible working schedules must be introduced. In addition, employers must provide workers with an adequate supply of drinking water and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Shaded, cooled rest areas must also be set up to shelter workers from the sun and high temperatures, and immediate medical assistance must be given to any employee whose health deteriorates due to the heat.
The state agency reminded employers that under established regulations, outdoor labor is classified as an extremely hazardous (extreme) working condition when temperatures reach +36 degrees Celsius (96.8°F) or higher.
To mitigate risks, work should be scheduled during cooler hours, specifically before 10:00 AM or after 5:00 PM. If tasks are urgent and cannot be delayed, a specialized work-and-rest cycle must be implemented, and working hours must be reduced. In such cases, employers remain obligated to provide shaded rest areas, drinking water, PPE, and first-aid kits.
Furthermore, the health of employees working in high temperatures must be continuously monitored. If a worker’s condition worsens, they must be immediately relieved of their duties and provided with medical care. The inspectorate emphasized that individuals who violate these occupational health and safety requirements will face legal penalties.
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