From now on, workers in workplaces with a perceived temperature of 33 degrees Celsius or higher must take a break of more than 20 minutes every 2 hours. The Ministry of Employment and Labor noted on the 15th that it will implement a revised rule on 'standards for industrial safety and health' starting from the 17th.
First, if working for more than 2 hours in a location with a perceived temperature of 31 degrees Celsius or higher, employers are required to implement at least one of the following measures, regardless of whether the area is indoors or outdoors: ▲ Install and operate cooling and ventilation devices ▲ Adjust work hours to reduce exposure to extreme heat ▲ Provide periodic breaks. Even with these measures, if the perceived temperature at the workplace remains above 31 degrees Celsius, periodic breaks must be provided according to the nature of the work.
Once it reaches 33 degrees Celsius, providing breaks of more than 20 minutes every 2 hours becomes mandatory. Depending on the site conditions, various alternatives, such as 'providing breaks of more than 10 minutes every hour,' are also possible. However, in cases where it is extremely difficult to provide breaks due to the nature of the work, exceptions are recognized if personal cooling devices are provided and operated or if personal cooling gear, such as cooling clothing, is provided and worn.
Cases where 'it is very difficult to provide breaks' include ▲ emergency measures required for tasks directly related to human life and safety such as disaster recovery and prevention according to the 'Basic Act on Disaster and Safety Management' ▲ urgent measures required to restore sudden situations such as malfunctions in facilities and equipment ▲ tasks that seriously disrupt aircraft operations at airports and seaports ▲ tasks that seriously affect the safety of structures, such as concrete pouring.
If a worker engaged in extreme heat work shows symptoms of heat-related illnesses such as headaches, dizziness, muscle cramps, or impaired consciousness, they must report it to 119 without delay. If a heat illness or suspected case occurs, the related work and any identical tasks must be halted.
If the temperature rises above 35 degrees Celsius, additional measures are recommended. Provide breaks of 15 minutes every hour in a designated rest area, and in the 'heat wave hours' from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., outdoor work should be stopped except in unavoidable circumstances. Assign personnel responsible for monitoring workers' health conditions. When the temperature reaches 38 degrees Celsius, outdoor work will be suspended except for emergency measures required for disaster and safety management during heat wave hours.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor said, 'We also plan to strengthen unannounced inspections for 'high-risk workplaces during heat waves' such as construction, shipbuilding, logistics, and parcel delivery,' adding that 'investigations for violations of the Serious Accident Punishment Act will be carried out at workplaces where serious accidents due to heat stroke have occurred.'