Barcelona distributes 'thermometer' bracelets amid heat that has killed 1,000 people

Man cools down with portable fan in Barcelona, Spain, amid heat wave
Nacho Doce / Reuters
The city council of Barcelona, Spain, began distributing bracelets to measure body temperature to workers working on the streets to prevent heatstroke and other problems caused by extreme heat. The initiative takes place amid the heat waves that are hitting the country, responsible for more than a thousand deaths in June alone.
In total, around 1,400 devices were delivered to professionals who work outdoors, such as street sweepers, gardeners, public lighting teams and garbage collection employees.
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The bracelets monitor the user's body temperature in real time. If they identify signs of overheating, they emit an audible alert and vibrate, indicating that the worker must immediately stop the activity and look for a place to cool off.
According to Pep Llimona, prevention coordinator at the municipal parks and gardens service, the measure is part of the city's strategy to face the effects of climate change, which has made heat waves more frequent and intense.
The concern is not by chance. In recent years, workers have died during journeys under high temperatures in different regions of Spain, which has led governments and companies to review safety protocols and working hours.
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In June 2025, a 51-year-old employee died while sweeping streets in the historic center of Barcelona, on a day when thermometers reached 30.4°C. The city hall opened an investigation into the case, but stated this Thursday (2) that there is no evidence that the death was caused by heatstroke.
Llimona said that the bracelet project was already being developed before the worker's death, but acknowledged that the episode accelerated the implementation of the measure. "It's true that this made the project move forward faster and led us to reflect even more on the topic," he said.
Spain is going through one of the hottest periods in its recent history. According to the country's meteorological agency, June was the second hottest month on record, and a new heat wave is expected to hit Spanish territory starting this weekend. "As the heat is increasingly intense, we need to be extra careful while working", said supervisor Ester Jimenez.
"I'm responsible for distributing the team's tasks and I'm afraid that someone will suffer from heatstroke. With temperatures like this, the future is worrying", she declared.

Source: G1