South Korea's Labor Minister Issues Emergency Directive Amid Record Heatwave

In response to a severe heatwave that has prompted a Level 2 emergency alert from the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, South Korea's Minister of Employment and Labor, Kim Young-joo, has issued an urgent directive to bolster safety protocols in workplaces.

The directive emphasizes increased operational efficiency for the 'Heatwave Safety Special Task Force,' a body comprising representatives from the Ministry of Employment and Labor, its regional offices, and affiliated organizations. The Minister also instructed the prompt dissemination of heatwave-related information through the 'Major Disaster Siren' online platform, which tracks fatalities across industrial sites nationwide.

Regional government heads are tasked with ensuring that workplaces implement the '5 Basic Heatwave Safety Rules' and adhere to 'Work Stoppage by Heatwave Level' guidelines. The basic rules include staying hydrated, ensuring functioning cooling systems, taking 15-minute breaks every two hours, providing cooling equipment, and calling emergency services if needed. Under the work stoppage protocol, outdoor activities unrelated to emergency operations must cease when the perceived temperature reaches 38 degrees Celsius or higher, or when a severe heatwave warning is issued.

Furthermore, the Minister recommended that local governments advise businesses to halt work in confined spaces with potential asphyxiation hazards, except for emergency operations. Regional labor offices are directed to intensify guidance and inspections related to these risks. Elevated temperatures can lead to a rapid increase in the concentration of harmful gases like carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide in enclosed environments such as wastewater treatment facilities, sewage tunnels, septic tanks, and storage containers, thereby increasing the danger of fatal asphyxiation incidents.