As mercury begins to soar, India Inc steps up to keep workers sun-safe

As India braces itself for another scorcher of a summer — with the India Meteorological Department forecasting more heatwave days than usual — companies are putting in place measures to provide some relief to workers. From ecommerce firms to real estate developers as well as oil, coal and mining companies — all say they are scaling up their efforts to protect those at higher risk from soaring temperatures. Temperatures have touched 40 degrees Celsius in many parts of the country, with worse expected to follow in the next few months.

Measures to safeguard workers during the brutal summer months include restricted work hours, flexibility, resting areas and water stations, access to energy drinks, oral rehydration solution (ORS), medicines, access to health professionals, and breathable clothing, among others. Some ecommerce companies are even enabling additional earnings.

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Zomato, Flipkart, Zepto, BigBasket and Swiggy among others are offering delivery executives and riders refreshments, juice, glucose, full-sleeved breathable clothing and more resting areas. Food delivery platform Zomato is stepping up its Shelter Project, under which it intends to scale up the number of rest points from 450 to 5,000- plus by June, with the support of restaurant partners. It will also tap weather forecasts to issue warnings of upcoming heat waves to delivery staff. Flipkart is enabling flexibility in afternoon delivery schedules, by encouraging breaks when the summer heat is at its peak.

“Flipkart’s supply chain forms the backbone of our business and we are ensuring that our last-mile executives are consistently provided access to the right resources,” said Prajakta Kanaglekar, vice president, HR. BigBasket CHRO Tanuja Tewari said it’s enabling extra income for delivery partners for working during extreme weather conditions and even covering earnings in case they are unwell.

Distress Signal, Insurance:Zepto has an in-app SOS button that delivery workers can use to reach out for help from the nearest hospital. The distress signal goes to the support centre as well so that the situation can be monitored centrally. The quickcommerce firm is also in talks with insurance partners to provide special provisions in case of any heat stroke-related ailments that don’t require hospitalisation of more than a day. Swiggy is giving its 350,000 delivery partners access to pit stops at Swiggy Instamart pods stocked with buttermilk and other cooling beverages.Health Hazards

The summer months are especially hard on those who work on oil rigs, construction sites, manufacturing units, mines, warehouses as well as road and railway projects. Workers’ productivity in garment factories fell by almost 15% on hot days, unless they had air-conditioning, according to the World Bank’s most recent South Asia Development Update. Heatwaves have a detrimental effect on productivity due to absenteeism, the need for longer breaks and the psychological costs of dealing with intense weather, said Anuj Arora, chief marketing officer, Symphony, a consumer durables company.

Oil and Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC), Larsen & Toubro, Southern Coalfields, HG Infra Engineering and a host of real estate developers are taking preemptive measures.

State-run explorer ONGC said it was providing ample hydration by ensuring access to clean drinking water and encouraging frequent breaks, appropriate clothing and gear. It’s also scheduling tasks for the cooler parts of the day, said an ONGC spokesperson in an emailed response. The company is also conducting training sessions to educate workers about the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses and the importance of early intervention.

Toubro is restricting work hours during high heat besides extending evening timings. The company is also providing frequent medical check-ups and a full-time doctor to cope with heat stress. Awareness sessions and first aid training are being provided to employees at all project sites, a spokesperson said.

Real estate developers told ET they take extra precautions during the summer months so that workers are not exposed to intense temperatures. Some developers expect work to slow down if the heat wave continues for an extended period. In the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), construction was stopped during the winter months as air pollution worsened.

HG Infra Engineering, which undertakes roads, metro, and railway projects, has introduced flexible working hours, commencing operations as early as 6 am to avoid the peak heat hours between 12 pm and 3 pm, besides providing extended breaks during those hours to allow employees time to rest and rehydrate.