Ministry of Employment and Labor to Establish Protection System for Essential Workers During Heatwave Disasters

Survey on the Status of Essential Workers Begins in Mid-Month
Defining Essential Workers During Heatwaves

The Ministry of Employment and Labor will establish a protection and support system for "essential workers" to safeguard the lives and safety of the public in the event of a record-breaking heatwave disaster. The ministry plans to clearly define both the tasks that must be performed on-site during large-scale disasters caused by heatwaves and the personnel responsible for these tasks, and to develop legal and institutional support measures to protect them.

According to government ministries on the 25th, the Ministry of Employment and Labor has recently launched a "survey on the status of essential workers during large-scale disasters such as heatwaves" that includes these measures. Essential workers are defined as those who must perform duties essential for protecting the lives and bodies of the public and maintaining social functions during large-scale disasters. As the risk of disasters caused by recent heatwaves increases, the government plans to anticipate various scenarios and estimate in advance the essential tasks and groups of workers required.

An official from the Ministry of Employment and Labor stated, "Heatwaves are unpredictable large-scale disasters, and if measures to protect essential workers are established only after an incident, there is a significant risk of delayed response on-site." The official added, "It is important to define in advance the types of disasters that may occur due to heatwaves, and to study domestic and international cases as well as actual on-site conditions."

In fact, recent heatwaves have reached unprecedented levels of severity since weather observations began. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, from June 1 to July 22, the national average daily temperature was 24.4 degrees Celsius, the highest for this period since the national weather observation network was established in 1973. The average daily maximum temperature was also a record high at 29.4 degrees Celsius. Since the beginning of July, daytime maximum temperatures nationwide have hovered around 40 degrees Celsius.

Workers are working at a construction site in Jangwi-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, where the heatwave continues day after day on the 8th. Photo by Jo Yongjun

In the context of heatwaves, essential workers do not simply refer to all outdoor workers. For example, it is difficult to categorically define all outdoor construction workers as essential workers. Depending on the nature of their work, some may be included in or excluded from the category of essential tasks. The primary criterion is whether the work aligns with the purpose of protecting the public's lives and maintaining social functions. Accordingly, police officers, firefighters, medical personnel, and workers involved in emergency restoration and safety management at disaster sites may be included.

Based on the data accumulated in this survey, the Ministry of Employment and Labor plans to designate essential tasks and workers for heatwaves as early as within this year, and to promptly develop practical protection and support measures through the participation of relevant ministries and private sector experts.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Employment and Labor has already been strengthening on-site inspections to prevent heat-related illnesses. The "Special Task Force for Heatwave Safety" currently in operation ensures that high-risk workplaces implement preventive measures for heat-related illnesses according to a checklist. After a period of voluntary inspections, local offices will conduct direct inspections. When working in heatwave conditions with a perceived temperature of 33 degrees Celsius or higher, workers are guaranteed at least a 20-minute break every two hours, and are provided with cooling vests and clothing.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.