ILO warns intense heat can trigger mental illnesses among workers

SIZZLING WORK DAY. Construction workers begin fencing works amid a sweltering day at the Philippine National Railways station in Alabang on April 4, 2024, for the new North-South Commuter Railway project. The International Labor Organization on Tuesday (April 23) warned against the effects of extreme heat on workers’ mental health. (PNA file photo by Yancy Lim)

MANILA – The International Labor Organization (ILO) on Tuesday cautioned workers against the effects of intense heat in the workplace on their mental health.

In a statement, it said aside from the threat of heat stroke and heat stress, sweltering heat index levels may trigger “stress, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), and suicide”.

“Indeed, experiences from a number of regions across the world, including the Philippines, demonstrate how extreme climate events are linked with an increased burden of PTSD, depression, anxiety, stress, and suicide in people of all ages,” it added.

The ILO also noted that the extreme heat felt by the employees could cause tension among them.

“In the workplace, this can lead to increased job tension, higher turnover intentions, workplace hostility, and stress about extreme weather, which could impede the ability to make essential work-related decisions,” it said.

The ILO issued the advisory amid the extreme heat being felt in different parts of the globe amid the El Niño phenomenon.

It estimates that more than half of the 3.4 billion global workforce or 2.

4 billion workers are possibly exposed to excessive heat at some point while at work.

Earlier, the Department of Labor and Employment advised employers to come up with policies that will help lessen the adverse effects of hot weather in their workplaces.

Among them are the provision of adequate ventilation and heat insulation in workplaces, adjusting rest breaks or work locations, and the use of temperature-appropriate uniforms and personal protective equipment.

Consider PDL conditions

Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care (CBCP-ECPPC) urged the government to do more in decongesting prison facilities as extreme heat takes a toll on the health of persons deprived of liberty.

“While we appreciate the efforts of the current administration in alleviating their plight, we believe that the best and long-lasting solution to this problem is to work towards decongesting the jails and prisons through the immediate and proper implementation of the laws on bail and release on recognizance, the pretrial release program, as well as the recent Supreme Court decision on extending the good conduct time allowance privilege even to those who have committed heinous crimes,” ECPPC chairperson Bishop Oscar Jaime Florencio said in a statement.

Florencio, meanwhile, said volunteers from the prison service units of Catholic dioceses across the country have been extending assistance to jail facilities by providing basic needs such as electric and exhaust fans in some jails.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration reported that a high heat index of 42 °C to 46 °C is expected in 24 areas in the country on Tuesday.