Most construction companies in Guangzhou ignored a recent provincial construction office guideline to stop work in the middle of the day when the sun was hottest, the Information Times reported Monday.

The provincial construction office said Friday that all outdoor construction work should be stopped at noon when the temperature reached 35 degrees Celsius, with the exception of emergency work.

However, many companies ordered their employees to resume working after 1:30 or 2:00 PM when the heat was still high, because the bureau did not make the noon period clear.

The temperature in most part of Guangzhou stayed above 37.4 degrees Celsius outdoors in the daytime on Sunday, according to the newspaper.

A worker surnamed He at Haizhu's Green Town construction site complained they were told to speed up. "The temperature at the site could reach 40 degrees Celsius but those who want to rest for a longer time at noon would have to work late at night," said the tanned man as sweat poured down his face.

Another worker at a construction site along the Guangzhou Thoroughfare also said they didn't have fixed rest time at noon. "Usually we can have a break at noon, but we start working at 1 or 1:30 PM," he said.

Construction workers laboring on the Metro Line 3, 20 meters underground were much luckier as the temperature underground was below 30 degrees Celsius, much cooler than the outside, said an engineer with the Metro construction.

Some construction companies have prolonged the rest time at noon while some offer workers herbal tea to prevent sunstroke.

However, most companies say they still cannot relieve workers' pressure in the heat because they are rushing to meet a deadline.

"We have no option. We have to finish the project before the deadline written down in the contract," said an official with a construction site in Dunhe.

Experts suggested the provincial construction office specify the rest time at noon. "In fact, the temperature at 3:30 was higher than 12 PM It would do little for the outdoor construction workers to rest just between 12 PM and 2 PM," he said.

Experts and some companies also suggested setting up penalties for construction companies that forced their employees to work in overly hot conditions.

(Shenzhen Daily July 19, 2005)