NHAI issues guidelines to protect workers from heat

NHAI has issued comprehensive guidelines on preventive measures to safeguard the health of employees and outlines mandatory safety protocols at construction sites, maintenance work and toll plazas. It said all contractors, concessionaires and toll collection agencies must “immediately implement” the measures.The highway agency said labor-intensive and heat-generating activities such as asphalt paving and welding should be done in the early morning or late afternoon. Mandatory cooling is mandated at regular intervals, more frequently during extreme heat alerts. We pay special attention to workers’ adaptation, ensuring that new or returning workers are gradually exposed to difficult tasks within 3 to 5 days.The NHAI patrol ambulances will be equipped with ice packs, cold water and intravenous fluids, it said. For fee-based businesses, entities are advised to minimize personnel exposure outdoors during the peak heat hours of 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. by optimizing shift management and shift duty. Additionally, air-conditioned cooling spaces will be constructed at toll plazas, rest areas and office buildings.