PEDESTRIANS use umbrella for shade as they walk under the midday sun in Manila on Tuesday. PAGASA warns that the heat index in Metro Manila and other areas could reach a ‘danger’ level of 42 to 51 degrees Celsius as the peak of the dry season is expected from late March to April.
Photograph BY JOHN CARLO MAGALLON for the daily tribune
The Institute for Occupational Health and Safety Development (IOHSAD) on Wednesday called on the national government and employers to take urgent action as the heat index reaches "danger" levels.
On Wednesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecast that four areas in Luzon were expected to experience a "danger level" heat index.
PAGASA classifies temperatures ranging from 33 to 41 degrees Celsius as “extreme caution” and temperatures from 42 to 51 degrees Celsius as “danger.”
In a statement, IOHSAD Executive Director Nadia de Leon said these temperatures pose serious health concerns for workers exposed to extreme heat, including informal workers who lack sufficient protection.
Citing Dr. Thomas H. Gassert, an instructor in Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Harvard's School of Public Health, the group stated that heat stress in the workplace can lead to heat-related illnesses.
Symptoms can quickly develop, including dehydration, skin rash, muscle cramps, fainting, and heat exhaustion, often accompanied by profuse sweating, nausea, headache, and weakness.
To help prevent heat-related illnesses and ensure workers' health and safety, IOHSAD demanded the immediate implementation of the following measures:
Heat breaks that are paid and compensable during peak temperature hours
Education on heat stress prevention through mandatory workplace training
Adjusted work hours to avoid the hottest periods of the day
Assessment of health conditions and medical check-ups for workers
Temperature-appropriate and free personal protective equipment
Shaded and accessible rest areas for workers, especially those working outdoors
Further, IOHSAD also urged the Department of Labor and Employment to issue a Department Order mandating essential protections for workers.
"The order should also ensure that both workers in the formal and informal sectors are covered," de Leon pressed.
The group said it is also pushing for "stronger heat safety provisions" in the current Republic Act No. 11058 or the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Law "to ensure lasting protections for workers."
The Department of Health earlier advised the public to regularly monitor reports from PAGASA and take preventive measures against heat-related diseases, including drinking plenty of water and limiting time spent outside between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
It also instructed the public to use sun protection such as hats, umbrellas, and sunblock, as well as to wear loose and light clothes.
