THE Philippine Postal Corp. (PHLPost) is allowing letter carriers to deliver the mail earlier in the morning to help them avoid exposure to extreme heat.
The order comes as the Philippines experiences record temperatures — a record high of 38.8 degrees Celsius was logged in Pasay City on Saturday, April 27, — that have forced the suspension of in-person classes in some areas.
Heat indices, which take into account temperature and humidity to approximate how hot it feels, are expected to hit 42 degrees Celsius or higher in parts of the country in coming weeks.
“To avoid possible heat exhaustion or other related complications this weather may cause, all postal areas across the country were directed to allow flexi-time in the mail schedule of letter carriers,” PHLPost said in a release yesterday.
Mail carriers may start their deliveries as early as 6 a.m. and should finish before noon, the postal service said.
The rest of their work hours may be spent on administrative duties like updating delivery information and preparing for deliveries the next day.
Postal workers have also been advised to wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing and a hat and to stay hydrated.
They should also rest after prolonged exposure to heat and cool down after work, the postal service also said.
In a related advisory on Saturday, the Department of Interior and Local Government directed uniformed personnel to wear “light uniforms” while on duty to help them deal with the heat.
The International Labour Organization warned in a report this month that 2.4 billion workers around the world are exposed to extreme temperatures each year, leading to 22.85 million occupational injuries and 18,970 deaths. (ABS-CBN News)
