This summer is expected to be hotter than average, prompting the government to activate a "heat wave safety special task force" from the 30th to September 30th for 124 days.

A view of a construction site. /News1

The Ministry of Employment and Labor held a meeting of industrial safety and health department heads on the 28th, chaired by the head of the Industrial Safety and Health Agency, with attendance from 48 regional employment and labor offices across the nation.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor noted that, similar to last year, extreme heat is expected this summer, necessitating special caution. Last year, the average summer temperature was 25.6 degrees Celsius, marking an "all-time high," while the number of heat wave days was recorded at 24, ranking as the "third highest" ever. The number of workers affected by heat-related industrial accidents reached 63, the highest since 2018.

Five key rules for preventing heat-related illnesses. /Ministry of Employment and Labor

The ministry conveyed that business sites should comply with the "five rules for preventing heat-related illnesses." Business sites must provide cooling clothing and vests to workers, and if the perceived temperature exceeds 33 degrees, they must ensure breaks of more than 20 minutes within every two hours.

The task force will particularly focus on managing 60,000 high-risk business sites in construction, shipbuilding, and logistics. High-risk business sites will be required to self-check heat illness prevention measures according to their own checklists from the 2nd to the 20th of next month for three weeks. After the self-check period, local offices will conduct direct guidance and inspections. If there are multiple cases of heat-related illnesses due to heatstroke, there will be a proactive investigation into the causes of accidents and potential legal violations.

Status of high-risk business sites during heat waves. /Ministry of Employment and Labor

The government also plans to support small business sites in installing ventilation devices such as jet fans and improving facilities. Interested business sites can contact the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency at (☎052-703-0787~8).

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