July 22nd marks the arrival of the Great Heat solar term. High temperatures are approaching in many parts of the country, and warning signals are frequently on. Workers under high temperatures are facing "roasting" tests.
Xinhua Viewpoint reporters recently visited Beijing, Henan, Anhui and other places and found that relevant departments and units have strengthened the protection of workers through measures such as optimizing working hours, working environment, and issuing subsidies. However, there are still some regions and industries where measures are not fully implemented and some labor groups are neglected.
How to protect key groups from high temperatures?
At 4 pm, Beijing Meituan delivery rider Wang Chaofeng drank half a bottle of mineral water in one go after delivering the 30th order. The high temperature came earlier and more fiercely this year, "said Wang Chaofeng.
Affected by the strong heating group, Beijing has experienced three consecutive days of high temperatures since July 17th, with the highest temperature in the plain area above 35 ℃ from 12:00 to 16:00 every day. Li Xiucang, Deputy Director of the Service Room of the National Climate Center, predicts that this summer, temperatures in most parts of the country will be higher than the same period in previous years, with more days experiencing high temperatures.
For delivery riders like Wang Chaofeng, there is also an increase in orders following the high temperature. In hot weather, the consumption of mineral water, beverages and other water drinks delivered by express delivery personnel has increased. These items are heavier and delivery is more difficult.
The company has equipped the couriers with heatstroke prevention equipment such as hats and face towels, and the station is also equipped with summer commonly used medicines such as Huoxiang Zhengqi Water, "said Wang Shuai, the station manager of Cainiao Express in Longcheng, Taiyuan.
According to interviews with reporters, this year, most companies such as Meituan and Cainiao Express have provided free heatstroke prevention supplies and medicines to food delivery riders and delivery drivers, adjusted and optimized delivery ranges and pick-up and drop off routes, and issued special subsidies such as "high-temperature care funds".
We will activate the emergency mechanism in a timely manner based on the high temperature weather conditions, provide delivery time supplement services for riders, eliminate negative reviews caused by high temperature weather, and dynamically adjust the delivery radius to reduce the time riders are exposed to the outdoors, "said the person in charge of Meituan delivery.
Adjusting and optimizing homework time and working environment has been listed as a key focus of high-temperature labor protection in many places.
Shandong requires employers to arrange outdoor work hours for workers in high temperature weather reasonably and avoid working during hot periods as much as possible; Shaanxi requires an appropriate increase in workers' rest time and rotation of shifts.
At the construction site of the Beijing Metro Line 28, Section 1 project, the project department has adjusted the construction time. The morning start time has been changed from 7 o'clock to 6 o'clock, and the afternoon start time has been changed from 2 o'clock to 4 o'clock; In Xingning District, Nanning City, Guangxi Province, the working hours and modes of sanitation workers have been adjusted, with rapid cleaning and machine scanning cleaning being the main methods during high temperature periods.
Under sustained high temperatures, the urban electricity load increases, and the frequency of underground cable inspections increases. The reporter recently accompanied Song Kejian, a distribution and operation inspector from State Grid Luoyang Power Supply Company, to the underground cable well. A wave of humid and hot gas rushed towards him, and the perceived temperature was much higher than the ground. After more than 10 minutes, Song Kejian's work clothes were soaked with sweat.
High temperature inspections can easily cause heatstroke. This year, the company has equipped its operation and inspection personnel with liquid cooled circulation cooling vests. When they encounter places that require maintenance or long-term operations, the operators will wear cooling vests and go down the well. After connecting the power supply, the cold air circulation system will be activated to automatically blow out cold air, which can effectively cool down and relieve heatstroke, "said Song Kejian.
Some high-temperature work groups are still outside of protection
At 1 pm, at a construction site in Nanqiao District, Chuzhou City, Anhui Province, cement worker Zhang Qing (pseudonym) took a brief break before starting work. In less than half an hour, Zhang Qing was soaked through. Sweat soaked in salt suddenly flowed into his eyes, and he picked up the towel hanging around his neck to wipe it off.
According to relevant regulations, when high temperature weather occurs, employers should promptly provide high temperature allowances to eligible workers. I haven't sent it, nor have I heard of it, "Zhang Qing, who has been in the industry for 15 years, shook his head with a smile when asked if a high temperature allowance would be given.
Professor Zhang Xifeng from China University of Political Science and Law stated that in the process of China's new urbanization construction, there are many construction workers who have not signed formal labor contracts, have strong mobility, and have not yet received substantial policy protection.
Like Zhang Qing, some flexible employment groups in the fields are also "floating" outside of high-temperature labor protection.
We have to harvest about 40 acres every day and can only rest for one hour during lunch, "said Zhang Yuan (pseudonym), an agricultural machinery operator at an agricultural cooperative in Gao'an City, Yichun City, Jiangxi Province." We cannot avoid working during high temperature periods and have not received high temperature subsidies
In 2012, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the All China Federation of Trade Unions, and other departments issued the Management Measures for Heatstroke Prevention and Cooling Measures, which made a series of deployments for high-temperature labor protection work. The measures clearly apply to employers such as enterprises, institutions, and individual economic organizations that engage in high-temperature operations and arrange workers to work during high-temperature weather periods.
However, in practice, workers who have signed written labor contracts with employers are more susceptible to high-temperature protection, while groups such as construction workers and agricultural machinery operators who have not signed formal contracts find it difficult to obtain high-temperature labor protection, "said Xu Guangjian, a professor at the School of Public Administration of Renmin University of China.
During the visit, the reporter found that inadequate implementation and discounts of regulations have also made it difficult for some outdoor workers to receive protection.
According to relevant regulations, workers who suffer from heatstroke due to high-temperature work or work in hot weather and are diagnosed with occupational diseases are entitled to work-related injury insurance benefits. However, due to limited diagnostic capabilities of medical and health institutions, lack of cooperation from employers in providing relevant information, and complex and cumbersome identification procedures, there are still difficulties in safeguarding the rights of occupational heat stroke work-related injury identification, "said Zhang Xifeng.
The distribution of high-temperature allowances also needs further improvement. At present, many regions across the country have made clear regulations on the high temperature allowance standard, with a monthly subsidy standard of 100 to 300 yuan. However, the reporter found that some local standards are too complex, and some employers are not aware of the relevant regulations and do not attach enough importance to them, resulting in a shortage of high-temperature allowances.
Further improve the guarantee mechanism
With the intensification of global warming, in recent years, China's high temperature weather has shown characteristics such as earlier onset dates, increased frequency of occurrence, and wider impact areas.
It is necessary to improve the definition of high-temperature workers in the management measures for heatstroke prevention and cooling, "Zhang Xifeng said. The formation of labor relations is not based on whether a written labor contract is signed. As long as the employer and the worker form a substantial employment relationship, it can be recognized as a labor relationship.
Zhang Xifeng stated that although some construction workers and agricultural machinery operators have not signed formal contracts, they have substantive employment relationships with employers and are the main group of outdoor workers in hot weather, and should be protected from high-temperature labor.
Regarding the difficulty in safeguarding occupational heat stroke and work-related injuries, Zhang Xifeng suggests that work-related injury recognition institutions should make full use of big data to collect relevant materials and work together with labor supervision agencies to urge employers to provide necessary materials; Occupational disease identification institutions should summarize and optimize the identification procedures for occupational heatstroke; The procuratorial organs should also further strengthen legal supervision.
Workers should pay attention to keeping attendance sheets, weather forecasts, and other valid evidence that can prove the working environment, and keep the diagnosis certificate issued by medical institutions containing clear causes, which helps to safeguard personal rights, "said Zhang Xifeng.
Xu Guangjian suggested that various regions should provide high temperature warnings and labor protection reminders according to the situation, and urge employers to clearly indicate high temperature allowances in salary payments. For employers who underpay or omit high-temperature allowances, reminders can be issued, and severe cases will be punished.
High temperature weather only lasts for a period of time, but care for workers should be long-term, "said Xu Guangjian. All sectors of society should take active actions, cooperate with each other, and strive to give workers more respect and care.
