By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Following reports that a 75-year-old man was found dead in Ilocos Sur possibly due to heat stroke, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Ted Herbosa on Thursday said there should be “heat breaks” for workers amid the severe heat ravishing the entire country.
The DOH chief stressed the importance of giving “heat breaks” to workers, particularly those exposed directly under the sun, to prevent them suffering from heat-related illnesses.
“I’m sorry to hear na may namatay [that someone has died] because heat stroke and deaths due to heat-related illness is preventable,” Herbosa lamented.
Herbosa also welcomed the move by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to allow employees who have health issues aggravated by the high heat index to file a leave of absence.
“I-protect nalang ‘yung workers through proper health breaks. The most important thing is it is the right of the workers kung sabihin niya kailangan niya ng break, pwede dapat mag-break,” the country’s top health honcho said.
Herbosa said he supports the proposal to have construction workers do their work at night when temperatures are cooler.
(el Amigo/MNM)
