The USAE union has alerted that the La Bonanova residence for the elderly in Palma reaches up to 33 degrees in some areas, violating labour regulations. The organisation demands urgent action from IMAS.
The USAE union reported on Tuesday that the La Bonanova residence for the elderly in Palma has recorded temperatures between 30 and 33 degrees in various rooms since the beginning of summer. The organisation warns that this situation endangers both the residents and the staff at the centre.
In a statement, USAE claims it has been alerting about this problem for years, which recurs every summer. The union attributes the situation to the “negligence” of the Mallorca Institute of Social Affairs (IMAS), accusing it of failing to take necessary measures to ensure adequate environmental conditions.
According to data provided by the union, the laundry and dining room reach 33 degrees, while some rooms and the geriatric bath area hit 32. Additionally, the palliative care unit records 31 degrees and the staff changing rooms have measured up to 30 degrees.
USAE argues that these temperatures violate Royal Decree 486/1997 regarding minimum safety and health provisions in workplaces, which states that environmental conditions should not constitute a source of discomfort for workers and that extreme temperatures should be avoided.
The head of Trade Union Action of USAE in the Balearic Islands, Alejandro Juan Alonso, demands that IMAS act “urgently” to install an air conditioning system that guarantees the rest and well-being of the centre's users. “We are talking about elderly users who require adequate climatic conditions to avoid physical harm,” says Alonso, who considers it “unacceptable” that the problem continues unresolved despite being known for years.
The union argues that investment in air conditioning for residences is necessary to maintain quality care and safe working conditions for professionals. USAE insists that IMAS must take measures to definitively resolve a situation that, according to their claims, is recurring this summer at La Bonanova residence.
The La Bonanova residence, dependent on IMAS, houses elderly individuals with varying degrees of dependency. The high temperatures, exacerbated by the lack of air conditioning in several areas, particularly affect the most vulnerable residents, who may suffer from heat strokes or dehydration. Workers, for their part, complain that working conditions are unsustainable, with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees in changing rooms and other common areas.
USAE reminds that similar complaints had been recorded in previous summers without permanent solutions being implemented. The union hopes that this new complaint will prompt IMAS to take concrete measures before more serious incidents occur.
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