EMPLOYERS are urged to protect their workers from heat stress as summer temperatures reach dangerous highs due to El Ni帽o, a lawmaker said on Sunday.
Citing a Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) advisory issued in 2023, Rizal Rep. Juan Fidel Felipe F. Nograles reminded employers to provide adequate ventilation systems and heat insulation in workplaces and adjust employee work breaks to reduce heat stress and other health risks.
Mr. Nograles, who chairs the House Labor and Employment Committee, said employers should monitor their employees鈥 occupational safety to prevent 鈥減roductivity loss, accidents, and possible lawsuits due to violation of the law.鈥
Labor groups, among them Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), have said that extreme heat condition is a work hazard that must be addressed by employers. 鈥淓xtreme heat鈥 is a health and safety hazard that must be met with responsive measures,鈥
The state weather monitoring bureau鈥檚 heat index bulletin on Friday stated that Laoag City in Northern Luzon and six other cities and municipalities throughout the country may reach 鈥渄angerous鈥 levels of heat on Monday.
A person exposed to a 鈥渄angerous鈥 heat index between 42掳 and 51掳 Celsius could experience cramps and heat exhaustion, which could lead to heat stroke.
Federation of Free Workers – Mindanao said DoLE should implement occupational safety and health standards to mitigate heat stress risks amid hot weather.
The labor group urged DoLE to convene the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council so that both employees and workers can discuss possible measures that could ease heat stress.
鈥淭hrough the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council, workers and employers with the government may adopt or establish a unified and effective strategy to protect our workforce from heat-related hazards,鈥 Joel Tongco, a president of a labor union attached to the Federation of Free Workers, said in a statement.
KMU also said workers should conduct 鈥渄ialogues with their employers, local government units, and other agencies鈥 to discuss measures that could ensure work safety amid scorching heat. 鈥 Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio
