Korea to mandate 20-minute worker breaks every 2 hours during heat waves
Construction workers labor outdoors at a site in Seoul, Wednesday.
Newsis
In response to a severe heat wave gripping Korea, the government implemented new regulations requiring employers to provide outdoor workers with at least a 20-minute break every two hours during periods of extreme heat.
The move comes as the nation grapples with dangerously high temperatures, and Seoul is in its first heat wave warning of the year, significantly earlier than in previous years. A heat advisory is triggered at 33 degrees Celsius, while a warning is issued for 35 degrees or higher.
The urgency for stronger heat-related protections was underscored by the death of a 23-year-old Vietnamese construction worker in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province. On a recent sweltering day, the worker was found collapsed and unresponsive at a construction site, with a body temperature of 40.2 degrees Celsius. He was later pronounced dead.
The death has intensified calls from labor groups for the swift enactment of revised safety regulations to prevent further heat-related fatalities.
The Regulatory Reform Committee on Friday passed a proposed amendment to the Occupational Safety and Health Standards that would mandate rest breaks when the work site's perceived temperature exceeds 33 degrees Celsius. The committee convened specifically to deliberate on the measure.
The clause was originally set to take effect on July 1 as part of a broader revision addressing extreme temperatures. But implementation was delayed after the committee twice recommended reconsideration, citing concerns that a uniform standard could burden small businesses.
In response, the Ministry of Labor requested a rare re-review of the committee’s recommendation. This was an unusual move, as the committee has no precedent for reviewing the same item three times. The ministry said the request followed continued discussions with the Office for Government Policy Coordination, citing the severity of the ongoing heat wave.
“We plan to implement the system to ensure workers’ right to rest during heat waves,” a government official from the policy coordination office said.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor said it would promptly carry out follow-up procedures, aiming to promulgate and enforce the revised rules by next week.