Gov't calls for better protection for vulnerable workers amid heat wave
An older man walks to collect recyclables in Seoul, Saturday, amid a prolonged heat wave. Yonhap
The government on Sunday called for better protection for vulnerable outdoor workers and livestock amid the ongoing heat wave, even with the most serious alerts being lifted nationwide.
In a meeting attended by relevant ministries and regional authorities, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters reviewed emergency protocols to counter extreme heat.
The headquarters urged all interagency response units to focus on safeguarding high-risk populations, such as migrant workers and elderly farmers.
Earlier in the day, Kim Kwang-yong, chief of the headquarters, visited the county of Yesan, some 100 kilometers south of Seoul, to inspect working conditions for foreign seasonal farmers and check heat impact on livestock, following heat-related fatalities involving foreign workers in Haenam, South Jeolla Province, and Hongseong, South Chungcheong Province.
Since foreign workers face language barriers that leave them in safety blind spots, Kim asked farm owners to provide sufficient water, shade and rest for their workers.
Officials distributed heat stroke prevention manuals translated into 18 languages and also various cooling supplies.
Kim also visited local swine farms to check their ventilation and cooling systems.
According to the headquarters, government ministries heightened their emergency response protocols.
The agriculture ministry upgraded its disaster situation room to an emergency response headquarter and stepped up drone and vehicle patrols across farms. The health ministry set up a 24-hour emergency response team to monitor at-risk elderly citizens.
The labor ministry plans to conduct an intensive inspection through Friday in workplaces left vulnerable to heat, such as construction sites, and enforce mandatory work stoppages during peak temperatures.
On Sunday, the highest-level heat wave warning was lifted across the country, though some regions still saw the mercury peak at near 35 C.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported 203 additional cases of heat-related illnesses Sunday, bringing the total to 3,090. There were three more deaths linked to such illnesses Sunday.
The Korea Meteorological Administration predicted daily highs will sit around 35 C in most parts of the country for the foreseeable future.