Air Conditioning Breakdown in Municipal Offices of Seville Raises Workplace Temperatures

A report from the Occupational Risk Prevention department warns that several municipal offices in Seville East exceed 27 degrees due to a failure in the air conditioning system. The City Council assures that the repair will be ready this Wednesday.

The heat is intense in Seville and, to make matters worse, the air conditioning in several City Council departments has given up. A report from the municipal Occupational Risk Prevention Service, dated last Friday, confirms that the temperature inside some workplaces exceeds the established limits set by regulations. The breakdown affects spaces assigned to the Department of Social Services Intervention in the Seville East-Alcosa-Torreblanca district.

A Breakdown That Raises the Mercury

The official document, prepared after receiving several emails from employees, details that the lack of air conditioning has caused the internal thermometer to exceed 27 degrees. According to Royal Decree 486/1997, minimum safety and health conditions require that the temperature in workplaces does not exceed this threshold. “If the temperature is above 27ºC, there is a risk of thermal stress,” warns the Prevention technician.

The situation is particularly critical because, meanwhile, the State Meteorological Agency has activated the yellow heat warning in the province, and it is expected to rise to orange next Thursday, with maximum temperatures approaching 40 degrees. Employees in the affected offices have been enduring an unbearable environment for days, with the cooling system not functioning.

The Solution Awaiting a Part

The City Council of Seville explains that the problem lies in a faulty compressor. “When these parts fail, they have to be ordered and take a few days. We have air conditioning installations with machines from different brands, so when a component breaks down, it has to be ordered from the manufacturer,” municipal sources indicate. The good news is that the replacement part has already arrived, and workers will install it “between Tuesday and Wednesday,” according to the same sources.

In the meantime, the Occupational Risk Prevention report recommends that, until the technical issue is resolved, appropriate thermo-hygrometric conditions are ensured. This could involve measures such as additional ventilation or reducing working hours during the hottest times, although the City Council has not detailed specific actions. Residents of Seville East, Alcosa, and Torreblanca, who visit these offices for social services procedures, are also suffering the consequences: waiting rooms and public service offices are equally without cooling.

The City Council spokesperson insists that “the issue will be resolved by this Wednesday at the latest,” and is hopeful that the equipment will return to normal before the outside thermometer reaches its peak. In the meantime, employees and users will have to arm themselves with patience and perhaps a good fan.