Latest news with #heatstress
Times of Oman
18-05-2025
- Climate
- Times of Oman
Summary: Midday breaks announced for workers in Oman
Muscat: Workers are prohibited from working at construction sites or open areas with high temperatures during the midday hours, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., during the months of June, July, and August. The Ministry of Labour (Mol), said, "A Safe Summer campaign to raise awareness of heat stress and the need to adhere to the midday work stoppage, in accordance with Article (16), Clause (2) of the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations, which states the following: Workers are prohibited from working at construction sites or open areas with high temperatures during the midday hours from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. during the months of June, July, and August." The Ministry calls on all private sector establishments to cooperate and comply with this measure, which is part of efforts to promote a safe work environment and reduce heat-related injuries.
Times of Oman
18-05-2025
- Climate
- Times of Oman
Summer: Midday breaks announced for workers in Oman
Muscat: From June, workers will be prohibited from working at construction sites or open areas with high temperatures during the midday hours, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The rules will remain in force till August. The Ministry of Labour (Mol), said on Sunday, "A Safe Summer campaign to raise awareness of heat stress and the need to adhere to the midday work stoppage, in accordance with Article (16), Clause (2) of the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations, which states the following: Workers are prohibited from working at construction sites or open areas with high temperatures during the midday hours from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. during the months of June, July, and August." The Ministry called on all private sector establishments to cooperate and comply with this measure, which is part of efforts to promote a safe work environment and reduce heat-related injuries.
Arab News
15-05-2025
- Health
- Arab News
Saudi regulator teams with Singapore scientists for heat-resilient workplaces
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia's key occupational safety and health body is partnering with a Singaporean research center to develop tools and strategies to protect workers from increasing heat risks in the region. Workplace safety and health risks are rising worldwide as heatwaves become more frequent and intense due to global warming and climate change. Addressing these threats is part of Saudi Arabia's commitment to modernizing labor standards and fostering a safer, more productive workforce under the Kingdom's broader Vision 2030 reforms. To strengthen the capability of managing workplace risks associated with high temperatures, the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health has teamed up with the Heat Resilience and Performance Centre at Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore. 'Heat stress is not only a health risk — it is also linked to increased workplace accidents and injuries ... Effective management of heat stress contributes to safer work environments, reduces incident rates, and improves productivity, benefitting both employees and employers,' NCOSH Secretary-General Majed Alfuwaiz told Arab News. 'The Heat Resilience and Performance Centre in Singapore is recognized as a regional center of excellence ... with a distinguished record of integrating technology, science, and policy. Their comprehensive model — including physiological monitoring, digital tools, and workforce training — provides a strong foundation that can be adapted to meet the Kingdom's specific needs.' The cooperation agreement with the Singaporean center was signed during the Global Occupational Safety and Health Conference hosted in Riyadh last week. 'Given the Kingdom's diverse climate — from high heat and humidity in coastal and desert areas to cooler summer temperatures in southern highlands such as Abha and Al-Baha — adaptive, evidence-based approaches are essential to designing effective interventions that reflect the environmental and geographic characteristics of each region,' Alfuwaiz said. 'As the Kingdom progresses with its giga-projects under Vision 2030, safeguarding worker health and performance is a national priority.' Saudi Arabia's labor market has been expanding rapidly, with the construction sector fueled by Vision 2030 giga-projects such as NEOM, Qiddiya, and the Red Sea Project. About 2 million people are employed in the industry, and many more are likely to find jobs in the coming years as the Kingdom prepares to host several major international events: the AFC Asian Cup in 2027, Asian Winter Games in 2029, World Expo in 2030, and FIFA World Cup in 2034. The World Cup alone will involve the renovation and construction of 15 stadiums in five cities, along with transport networks and hotel infrastructure. The Saudi-Singaporean collaboration in heat resilience will focus on policy and regulatory frameworks related to occupational heat exposure and developing standards and interventions. Dr. Jason Lee, associate professor at Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine who leads the HRPC, said that while the Saudi regulator will tap into Singaporean expertise in heat resilience, researchers will be able to 'gain insights on how NCOSH supports mega-infrastructure projects with many workers under heat stress, potentially paving opportunities to develop and scale solutions to better safeguard lives and livelihoods.' In the long term, the cooperation plan includes establishing a regional center of excellence in heat resilience for the Middle East and North Africa. 'The Heat Resilience and Performance Centre will first determine specific research and educational activities related to heat resilience with our partners from the Kingdom, sharing, learning, and tapping into each other's strengths towards a common goal that is to heat-proof our people in this warming world,' Lee said. 'Extreme heat is beyond morbidity and mortality. In many parts of the world, chronic heat exposure significantly suppresses human health and potential ... Becoming heat resilient is ever so important if you want to thrive prospectively.'
South China Morning Post
06-05-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
The hidden toll of Hong Kong's food delivery riders
Sunny Waseem* can often be spotted on his motorbike weaving through the Hong Kong traffic under the scorching sun with a food delivery bag. But what goes unnoticed is the sweat, headaches, thirst and pressure to fulfil an order on time. The 33-year-old delivery rider routinely works more than 12 hours daily, handling back-to-back orders during the busy lunch rush. 'Most of our working hours are during the very hot weather. So it really affects me. I feel exhaustion, an increase in sweat and shortness of breath,' said the full-time rider, who has six years of experience. Waseem said that he had to take painkillers several times a week to relieve headaches caused by the heat. He felt he could not afford to take breaks in the shade because the food delivery platform's algorithms would downgrade him, leading to a reduction in his income. Deliveroo bows out of Hong Kong, selling assets to rival Foodpanda A recent Greenpeace survey of 117 delivery workers from ethnic minority backgrounds found that more than 80 per cent reported experiencing heat-related illnesses during work. 'During extreme weather, outdoor workers bore the brunt because they had no choice but to continue doing laborious work … a lot of riders would just bite the bullet,' said Tom Ng Hon-lam, a campaigner at the green group. About 100 survey respondents reported a surge in orders during hot and rainy days, as well as typhoons, with more than 70 per cent working under these extreme conditions. In 2023, the government introduced a new three-tier warning system to reduce the risk of heatstroke among outdoor workers. Guidelines on heatstroke prevention were updated last year to make the system more practical for both employers and workers. The green group said it hoped the government would consider establishing separate guidelines specifically addressing the needs of delivery workers. From left to right: Mak Tak-ching, a project executive at Hong Kong Christian Industrial Committee; Tom Ng, a project officer of Greenpeace; and Sunny Waseem, a food delivery rider. Photo: Elson Li According to a Census and Statistics Department report, Hong Kong has around 13,000 food platform delivery workers. Riders or couriers are divided into different tiers. The top-tier earners are those who meet target delivery times and do not reject orders, according to Waseem. He said the 'batch one' workers had priority in choosing shifts with the most orders. 'If I take a break for 15 minutes because I am afraid that I will have heatstroke, somehow I will be unable to work for Foodpanda for a whole week,' he said. 'They will calculate how many minutes I was absent from the shift, which will result in a change in my batch.' When Waseem was demoted from batch one to tier two or three, his daily earnings decreased from HK$1,200 (US$154) to around HK$800. Following Deliveroo's recent departure from Hong Kong, Waseem now works for Foodpanda and Keeta, which he described as 'notorious' for penalising riders who did not meet their standards. Your Voice: delivery drivers deserve our empathy (long letters) Waseem does not dare to take breaks and risk being downgraded. He said he prepares a large water bottle and drinks ion-supply drinks to stay hydrated. Mak Tak-ching, a member of the Riders' Rights Concern Group, noted that while some outdoor cleaners and security guards were given equipment by their employers to stay cool during hot weather, delivery workers had to fend for themselves. He called for greater long-term protection of riders' rights through formal employee recognition. Greenpeace also urged the platforms to consider riders' needs, including providing heat protection clothing and portable fans or setting up rest stations with free water dispensers across the city. Mak Tak-ching, who is also a member of the Riders' Rights Concern Group, said delivery workers essentially had to fend for themselves. Photo: Elson Li Foodpanda said on Wednesday that it had never required couriers to deliver orders within a limited time frame. 'Couriers have the option to accept or pass on any of the dispatched orders, and we offer them the flexibility to take breaks during their shift – at any time and from any location,' the company said. As for its batch system, the platform said the division was 'determined by an aggregate of various performance components', which meant passing on orders or taking breaks 'may or may not affect a courier's overall batch number'. Keeta said it was committed to offering riders flexible schedules and had provided them with equipment such as raincoats and water jackets. 'The safety and well-being of our riders are our top priorities, and we encourage them to prioritise their well-being and take breaks as needed,' Keeta said. *Name changed at interviewee's request.
