Government to Support 70% of Rest Facility Construction Costs for Sanitation Workers... Distributes 270,000 Masks

Minister Lee Jae-gap of Employment and Labor Visits Sanitation Workers' Worksite
Protecting Sanitation Workers' Labor Conditions...Checking Work Safety Guidelines
Essential Workers Protection TF Launched..."Additional Measures Being Prepared"

Lee Jae-gap, Minister of Employment and Labor / Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The government will support up to 70% of the installation costs for rest facilities for sanitation workers. Additionally, 270,000 masks will be distributed to sanitation workers in preparation for high concentrations of fine dust.

On the 27th, Lee Jae-gap, Minister of Employment and Labor, visited a household waste collection and transportation company located in Jung-gu, Seoul, held a meeting with sanitation workers, and inspected the work site.

This visit was conducted to prepare the "Essential Workers Safety and Protection Enhancement Measures," promoted by the joint task force of related ministries, and to hear voices from the field.

Minister Lee stated, "To improve the working environment of sanitation workers, we will support up to 70% of the costs required for employers to purchase necessary items such as container houses, heating and cooling systems, and shower facilities when installing rest facilities."

He added, "In preparation for the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and periods of high fine dust concentration, we will provide 270,000 masks from November to protect the health of sanitation workers working outdoors."

At the meeting, Kim Yong-gyu, Director of the Health Management Center at the Incheon Hospital of the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service, presented on the "Improvement Plan for Customized Health Checkups for Sanitation Workers."

Minister Lee said, "We will continuously monitor compliance with the 'Guidelines for Protecting Working Conditions of Privately Consigned Workers' to protect the working conditions of sanitation workers."

He also stated, "To ensure the safety of sanitation workers, by March next year, we will inspect compliance with work safety guidelines and review improvements to safety standards," adding, "We plan to cooperate with local governments to install safety devices on cleaning vehicles and promote daytime work and three-person teams."

Earlier, on the 6th, the government held the first meeting of the 'Joint Task Force for Protecting Essential Workers' and announced the first round of urgently needed policies.

The task force is currently operating five working groups by target sectors: ▲care services ▲parcel delivery ▲health and medical ▲sanitation ▲major industry face-to-face work.

Minister Lee said, "We are discussing additional measures by forming a special team of related ministries," and added, "We will strive to ensure that voices from the field are included in the measures."