MMDA grants 'heat stroke break' to enforcers, sweepers

MANILA, Philippines — Traffic enforcers and street sweepers of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority are getting an additional 30-minute “heat stroke break” to protect them from illnesses this summer season’s searing heat until end-May.

MMDA Chairman Atty. Romando Artes has signed a memorandum circular re-implementing the "heat stroke break" policy to protect field personnel from heat exhaustion, heat stroke and heat cramps due to severe heat wave.

According to Artes, under the policy, on-duty traffic enforcers and street sweepers are allowed to leave their posts in shifts and take a 30-minute break to rest.

For traffic enforcers who work from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. shift, the prescribed “heat stroke break” is from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.; for those working from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. shift, the break time shall be observed from 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. or 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.; for those working from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., the prescribed “heat stroke break” is from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. to 12 noon; and for 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. shift, the break time shall be observed from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

For street sweepers who work from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. shift, the prescribed “heat stroke break” is from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. to 12 noon; for 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. shift, they shall observe 12 noon to 1 p.m. regular break time; and for those working from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. shift, the break time shall be observed from 2:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

"The heatstroke break shall be done alternately by those who are assigned in a particular area to maintain visibility of traffic enforcers and street sweepers and to ensure field operations are not hampered," said Artes.

Field personnel may also avail themselves of an additional 15-minute break time in case the heat index or the “human discomfort index” in Metro Manila reaches 40 degrees Celsius and above.

According to state weather bureau Pagasa, the heat index gives the “apparent” temperature, or what humans perceive or feel as the temperature affecting their body.