DOLE, Davao LGU asked to intervene on aircon-less dep’t store

Mendoza noted that exposure to prolonged working hours in the poorly-ventilated department store is very dangerous for workers. (Photo by Artem Beliaikin from Pexels)

MANILA — A workers’ group on Friday urged the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Davao City health and building officials to implement remedial measures in a department store while its air conditioning issues are being addressed by its management.

In a statement, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) party-list Rep.

Raymond Mendoza said it is important for these officials to look after the welfare of the workers of the Victoria department store in New City Commercial Center in Davao City.

Among the remedial measures include installing industrial fans, requiring workers to wear light clothes, allowing more frequent breaks for employees, and providing them free drinking water.

Mendoza noted that exposure to prolonged working hours in the poorly-ventilated department store is very dangerous for workers.

“Exposing Victoria department store salesladies and employees to work longer hours without the proper workplace air-conditioning and ambient ventilation could cause heat-related illnesses to workers and are very serious occupational safety and health issues,” Mendoza said.

“The local government and the Labor department must intervene immediately before anything else happens,” he added.

According to TUCP, employees exposed to such workplace heat and ventilation problem may get sick of asthma, rashes, exhaustion, dizziness and fainting, and heat stroke— which are all very serious occupational safety and health issues.

“This matter is a serious occupational safety and health issue that the mall owner and the workers’ employer could be held jointly liable in case something worse happened or any of the mall workers got sick due to the workplace ventilation issue,” Mendoza said.

Last week, hundreds of mall employees took to social media their complaints of discomfort while working in the store without air-conditioned units and without any appropriate ventilation since early this year.

They called on the mall management to immediately re-install the centralized air-conditioning unit.