More Spanish municipalities are distributing smart wristbands to street cleaners and gardeners. These devices warn of dangerous body temperature rises. The move follows deadly heatwave incidents and growing concern for outdoor workers.
Spanish municipalities are stepping up efforts to protect outdoor workers from extreme heat by distributing smart wristbands that alert users to abnormal increases in body temperature. The initiative, now adopted in cities such as Barcelona, Motril, Getafe, Pozuelo de Alarcón, and Alcoi, comes after a series of fatal incidents involving street cleaners and gardeners exposed to soaring summer temperatures.
The urgency of these measures became clear after the death of José Antonio González, a 60-year-old street cleaner who collapsed in Vallecas in July 2022 while working under a 40-degree sun. His body temperature reached 41.6 degrees, and he died in hospital after suffering heatstroke. Since then, Spanish summers have only grown hotter, prompting local authorities to seek new ways to safeguard those most at risk.
Barcelona, with its 1.7 million residents, was among the first to introduce a comprehensive protocol for urban service workers during heatwaves. The city’s guidelines require regular breaks, ban solitary work, and recommend lighter uniforms. Although the use of thermal wristbands was not initially mandatory, unions pushed for their adoption. This summer, 1,400 devices have been distributed to gardeners, street cleaners, and civic agents, who are now encouraged to use them. The wristbands monitor both temperature and pulse, issuing alerts through sound, light, and vibration before a worker’s health is in danger, allowing time to rest, hydrate, or change tasks.
Motril, in Granada province, has equipped its street cleaning staff with 25 smart watches that trigger warnings when body temperature exceeds 37.8 degrees or when ambient temperatures reach 42 degrees. The protocol requires workers to stop, seek shade, hydrate, and apply sun protection if necessary, only resuming work once the device signals safe conditions. However, union representatives in Motril argue that the number of devices is insufficient for the workforce of over 150, with older employees prioritized for the new system.
In Alcoi, the local council has just acquired 30 wristbands for municipal teams in public works, environment, gardening, and electrical maintenance. These workers spend much of their day outdoors and are particularly vulnerable to heat. The devices, which cost between 40 and 60 euros each, weigh 30 grams, are water and dust resistant, and can operate for up to five months without recharging. They do not include GPS or data storage, ensuring user privacy.
Pozuelo de Alarcón has also rolled out the wristbands, especially among employees of Grupo FCC, which manages street cleaning and waste collection with nearly 300 staff. The devices are designed to alert workers even before they feel unwell, according to municipal sources. In Parla, a pilot project was launched in 2025 to monitor vital signs of those most exposed to heat, with the wristbands providing early warnings to prevent heatstroke.
Other municipalities, such as Valdemoro and Alcalá de Henares, have begun equipping waste collection and green space workers with these devices. However, many areas in the Madrid region, including Arganda del Rey, Boadilla del Monte, and Majadahonda, have yet to implement similar measures. In these towns, authorities focus on disseminating official weather alerts and recommendations through social media.
The adoption of heat-alert wristbands is expanding beyond municipal workers. The Junta de Extremadura has announced plans to purchase the devices for its most exposed employees. The move comes as Spain faces a succession of heatwaves, with the Ministry of Health reporting 1,682 heat-related deaths nationwide between May and July 2026, following 1,180 such fatalities in the same period the previous year.
Each wristband combines a 74-decibel acoustic signal, a flashing red light, and vibration to warn users to stop, rest, and hydrate. Once the risk subsides, the device switches to a green light, indicating it is safe to resume work. The technology is seen as a cost-effective way to reduce the risk of heatstroke among those who cannot avoid working outdoors during extreme weather.
Spain’s growing focus on heat safety for workers reflects a broader trend of adapting to climate risks. As seen in other recent emergencies, such as the Los Gallardos wildfire in Almería, where authorities responded to deadly conditions affecting both residents and emergency personnel, the country is increasingly prioritizing rapid, practical solutions to protect lives. For more on how Spanish authorities have managed recent climate-related crises, see this report on the Los Gallardos fire response in Almería.
Heat-related illness remains a significant occupational hazard in Spain, especially for those in cleaning, gardening, and maintenance roles. The expansion of smart wristband programs signals a shift toward proactive prevention, but coverage gaps and device shortages persist in some regions. As temperatures continue to rise, the effectiveness and reach of these measures will remain under close scrutiny.
