The heatwave hitting Cyprus is expected to peak this Thursday with temperatures expected to hit 44C amid yet another orange level weather warning.

On Wednesday, temperatures caused a halt in outdoor work, including food deliveries, post and construction services.

Teachers also stressed that extreme heat was causing serious problems in classrooms, where only few schools have begun installing air conditioning units, according to teachers’ union Poed.

“In cases of extreme temperatures, the education ministry should consider stopping classes and allowing students to leave school earlier.”

The union added that the current status amounted to inappropriate working conditions that put thousands of children’s health at risk.

Meanwhile, it was the second day in a row on Wednesday where the labour inspections department issued a warning that outdoor heavy and moderate work was prohibited by law between 12 and 4pm in the inland, due the high temperatures and orange weather warning.

The same will apply for Thursday between 11am to 5pm, where a red alert for forest fires has also been announced by the forestry department.

The maximum temperature is expected to rise around 44C across the island and to around 34C over the mountains.

The work warning covers “all outdoor heavy and moderate work and work involving the transport or delivery of products, such as food or mail, by two-wheeled vehicles (motorcycles, moped, bicycle) or personal mobility devices (scooters and e-scooters),” the department said in its announcement.

The orange level warning for mandatory work stoppage, concerns areas of the interior, including Nicosia and Larnaca, from Athienou until Astromeritis, a spokesman for the department said, and any areas with an altitude of less than 300 metres which are more than 10 kilometres from the coast, as well as the mountainous areas at an altitude of more than 1150 metres.

In other cooler areas of the island, where the work stoppage order does not apply, the law still requires outdoor workers carrying out moderate to heavy work to implement appropriate health and safety measures to be facilitated by employers, and to monitor thermal load which is influenced by factors such as humidity.

Depending on prevailing conditions of air temperature and relative humidity, even in shaded areas, employers must adjust their workers’ activities accordingly, such as applying rotations and frequent short breaks and ensuring access to an area with AC or fans, to reduce heat stress.

Strenuous outdoor work during the hottest hours of the day must be avoided and workers should also be provided with drinking water at a temperature of 10-15°C and appropriate headgear, and should be advised to wear light, cotton clothing and sunglasses.

The department recommends avoiding large meals, sugary foods, and alcohol or caffeinated drinks.

Examples of moderate work are fencing, concreting, bricklaying, plastering, painting, flooring, tiling, carving, hammering, carrying light objects, carpentry, electrical work, plumbing, mechanical work, laying of aluminium, installation of railings, and paving carried out by mechanical means.

Heavy work is considered intensive manual labour, processing and building of foundations, assembling/disassembling formwork, digging or breaking hard materials with mechanical tools, devices or machines weighing more than 15 kg, and road asphalt paving.

The forestry department cautioned that lighting a fire without a permit is prohibited and that it constitutes an offence which, according to the Forestry Law is punishable by imprisonment of up to 10 years or a fine of up to €50,000.00 or both penalties together.

Additionally, and according to the Prevention Fires in the Countryside Law the offender can go to jail for up to five years or pay a fine of up to €20,000 or both penalties together.

Lighting of fire, for food preparation, is only allowed in designated spots in the picnic areas.

The public is strongly urged to be extremely careful during their outings and to avoid activities that are likely to cause a fire, such as the use of tools or agricultural machinery that produce heat, sparks or flame, such as emery, oxygen welding and electric welding.

If someone notices smoke or fire, they are asked to call 1407 (Forestry Department) or 112 (Fire Service).