[On Site] "No Time to Stop: 22,900V Labor Atop Utility Poles in Extreme Heat"

No Breaks Except for Lunch: "Drenched in Sweat After Just 30 Minutes of Work"
White Streaks of Salt Remain Below the Shoulders After Finishing the Job
"Work Suspension Rights Are Not Enough... Urgent Need to Legislate Heat Wave Measures"

An electrical worker climbing a cherry picker outdoors to maintain power lines. Photo by Song Bohyun

"Extreme heat is also a disaster. But even when disaster strikes, field workers cannot stop working."

On the afternoon of July 2, in the middle of rice fields in Wonsan-dong, Nam-gu, Gwangju, a worker was repairing live power lines atop a utility pole, his work clothes soaked with sweat. The electricity they handle is 22,900 volts. This high-risk task, performed while hanging in the air and working with live wires, is called the "stick indirect method." Although the work method has changed, the structure of having to endure the risk of electric shock under the sun remains the same.

The workers said, "Spring, summer, fall, winter?the conditions at the site are always the same, no matter the weather. It's especially severe in summer. We work continuously exposed to the sun and, except for lunch, there are no breaks." After finishing their work and removing their clothes, white lines full of salt remain below their shoulders. Many have experienced early symptoms of heatstroke, but it is difficult to stop the work. "Because the work needs to be continuous, it's hard to stop and start again. On days like today, when the sun is scorching, there are moments when it's hard to breathe," one worker confessed.

On this day, the daytime high in Gwangju reached 34 degrees Celsius, with the perceived temperature exceeding 35 degrees. With heat wave advisories issued for 22 cities and counties in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province, the grueling work of utility pole workers continued without pause. After completing their tasks and coming down from the poles, workers were seen gulping down ice water to cool their flushed faces.

Workers continuing their tasks at high altitude under the summer sun. Photo by Song Bohyun

A site official said, "Recently, to prevent electric shocks, power is cut off in some sections, but at the start and end points, the electricity is still live. Since there is a risk of electric shock at points where hands can touch, we cannot let our guard down." These workers are already exposed to sunlight for such extended periods that skin cancer has been recognized as an occupational disease.

There were also calls for government-level measures. A site official said, "When the weather is hot, I wish there were laws requiring power to be cut and work to be stopped around 2 p.m. Regulations are needed for outdoor workers, both in the public and private sectors."

Outdoor workers across the country face the same risks. Construction workers, delivery drivers, and air conditioner installers are also left to work in the heat without protection. Last summer, a worker in his twenties died after collapsing from heatstroke while installing an air conditioner at a middle school in Jangseong, South Jeolla Province. In contrast, the Ministry of Employment and Labor stated last year that "existing regulations in the Occupational Safety and Health Act regarding work suspension are sufficient to respond to heat waves," and expressed caution about enacting new laws. There has been no change in this position to date.