Kim Young-hoon, minister of employment and labor, checks the apparent temperature at a loading and unloading area of a logistics center while inspecting heat-safety measures. The Ministry of Employment and Labor ordered immediate improvements after finding deficiencies including missing thermometers and inadequate rest facilities. [Ministry of Employment and Labor]
Kim Young-hoon, minister of employment and labor, checks the apparent temperature at a loading and unloading area of a logistics center while inspecting heat-safety measures. The Ministry of Employment and Labor ordered immediate improvements after finding deficiencies including missing thermometers and inadequate rest facilities. [Ministry of Employment and Labor]

Kim Young-hoon, minister of employment and labor, visited a heat-vulnerable logistics center late Friday afternoon to inspect compliance with heat illness prevention measures, calling on employers to rigorously manage apparent temperatures and not hesitate to halt work when necessary.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor said the inspection found that thermometers had not been installed at key work areas including loading, unloading and sorting zones, making it difficult to accurately monitor apparent temperatures by work process. Inspectors also found that rest areas where workers could escape the heat were not adequately provided near work sites. The ministry ordered immediate improvements.

"Just because the sun has set does not mean the heat wave is over — the risk of heat illness continues through the night at logistics centers," Kim said. "The apparent temperature at actual work sites must be accurately measured, and workers must be allowed to stop and rest sufficiently when needed."

"Parcel volumes and work speed cannot take priority over workers' lives in extreme heat," he added. "Identified hazards must be corrected immediately, and employers should not hesitate to adjust working hours or stop work when necessary."

Alongside the inspection, the ministry reiterated the heat-response rules that employers are required to follow. At workplaces where the apparent temperature reaches 31 degrees Celsius or above, employers must install thermometers to measure and record apparent temperatures and provide workers with education on heat illness symptoms and emergency response procedures. Cooling rest facilities or shaded rest areas must also be provided near work sites.

The ministry outlined five basic heat-safety rules: providing sufficient clean, cool water; installing cooling and ventilation equipment such as portable air conditioners, industrial fans and shade structures; ensuring adequate rest breaks when the apparent temperature reaches 31 degrees Celsius or above, with breaks of at least 20 minutes every two hours when it reaches 33 degrees; supplying cooling gear such as cooling clothing and cooling vests; and calling 119 immediately if heat illness is suspected.

The ministry also recommended that employers adjust working hours or shorten outdoor work when the apparent temperature reaches 33 degrees Celsius, suspend outdoor work except when unavoidable at 35 degrees, and halt all outdoor work except for emergency measures such as disaster and safety management at 38 degrees or above.

The ministry plans to operate a special heat-safety task force through Sept. 30, stepping up day and night on-site inspections and oversight with a focus on heat-vulnerable workplaces in the logistics and distribution sectors.


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