Due to the summer's extreme heat, the Ministry of Labor wrote to labor inspection organizations and pertinent groups to recommend that high temperature dangers be addressed as part of occupational disaster prevention efforts. The maximum fine may be NT$ 150,000 if the contractor is not warned of the risk of high temperature risks or is not persuaded to implement preventive. Additionally, 93.2% of workers, who responded to a Job Bank poll, expressed hope that the government will implement a high-temperature holiday scheme.
The Ministry of Labor emphasized that companies should implement hazard avoidance measures, which are also part of the summer inspection checklist items, for employees who operate outdoors in hot weather. The Ministry of Labor carefully arranges special inspections, chooses high-risk institutions as the major inspection targets, such as building sites or outdoor maintenance activities, and demands violators to make modifications within a week. The employers face a further punishment of up to NT $300,000 if they cause occupational illnesses including heatstroke.
Ministry of Labor launches high-risk special inspections for working outdoors in hot summer.Photo provided by Tainan City Government
In addition, the Job Bank poll found that 66.8% of employees needed to work outside from June to August, and 53.3% of them claimed that their employers did not take any proactive steps to provide cooling measures like beverages and lunch breaks or offer a break area with shade.
Among them, 45.2% of respondents stated that they had become sunburned, 48.6% had experienced heatstroke, and 30.3% had requested time off to recover as a result of performing official tasks.
Ministry of Labor launches high-risk special inspections for working outdoors in hot summer.Photo reproduced from Pixabay
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To improve employee comfort and prevent heatstroke, the Ministry of Labor urges employers to slightly modify the rules. Additionally, they need to provide a safe working environment, implement health management, and minimize heat illness for outdoor employees.
