By Liza Soriano
MANILA — Amidst the ongoing El Niño phenomenon, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has issued a reminder to employers to prioritize health and safety protocols, aiming to mitigate heat stress and its impact on the workforce.
DOLE emphasizes the importance of adhering to Labor Advisory No. 8, series of 2023, which outlines key measures to prevent heat stress.
These measures include ensuring adequate ventilation and heat insulation in work areas, scheduling rest breaks or altering work locations as needed, providing employees with weather-appropriate uniforms and personal protective equipment, and ensuring access to free and plentiful drinking water.
Additional recommended strategies involve conducting awareness campaigns to help employees recognize and respond to symptoms of heat stress, and establishing protocols and communication networks to address heat-related emergencies in the workplace.
Moreover, DOLE encourages employers, with the consent of their workers, to implement flexible work arrangements that allow for adjustments in working hours until weather conditions improve, while maintaining the total number of working hours per day or week.
Employers are also urged to reach out to DOLE Regional Offices and Occupational Safety and Health Center-Regional Extension Units for technical assistance in reviewing and developing safety measures to prevent and manage heat stress in workplaces.
(el Amigo/MNM)
