[Exclusive] 154 Cases of Occupational Heat Illness in 5 Years... 70% of Fatalities Are Construction Workers [Workers in Crisis] ⑫

45% of Occupational Illnesses Approved as Work-Related Occur in Construction
Outdoor Construction Sites Face Concentrated Harm
Polarization Between Large and Small-Scale Workplaces

Nearly half of all occupational heat illness cases over the past five years have occurred in the construction industry, with 70% of fatalities involving construction workers. Experts point out that outdoor construction sites, where outdoor work is common, are particularly vulnerable due to a lack of rest facilities and inadequate safety management, resulting in concentrated harm.

On the 3rd of last month, workers are working at a construction site in Ulju County, Ulsan. Photo by Yonhap News

According to data submitted by the office of Assemblywoman Jung Hyekyung of the Progressive Party to the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service on August 28, there were a total of 154 cases of occupational heat illness approved from January 2020 to July 2025, with 17 resulting in death. By industry, construction accounted for 70 cases, representing 45.4% of the total. This was followed by other businesses (48 cases), manufacturing (23 cases), transportation, warehousing, and communications (8 cases), forestry (3 cases), and agriculture (2 cases). Of the 17 fatal cases, 12 (70.5%) occurred in the construction sector. By location, heat illness cases occurring outdoors numbered 102, overwhelmingly higher than those indoors (29 cases).

Outdoor construction sites are considered the most vulnerable to extreme heat. On July 7, at an apartment construction site in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, a Vietnamese worker in his 20s collapsed and died while working in the midday heat. Despite his body temperature soaring to 40.2 degrees Celsius at the time, work was not halted, and he was left exposed to the heat without protection.

By business size, more than half (51.2%) of all occupational heat illness cases occurred at worksites with fewer than 50 employees. Small businesses also accounted for 82% of fatal accidents. While accidents did occur at large-scale businesses with 300 or more employees, smaller businesses lacking sufficient safety personnel and equipment were far more vulnerable. This highlights a polarization in heatwave response across different types of workplaces.

Heat illness threatened all generations, not just a specific age group. By age, there were 13 cases in workers in their 20s, 21 in their 30s, 37 in their 40s, 35 in their 50s, 36 in their 60s, 11 in their 70s, and 1 in their 80s. While middle-aged and older workers made up more than half, the proportion among those in their 20s and 30s was also significant. This shows that the risk is not limited to older workers; even younger workers are not exempt from the dangers of extreme heat.

The number of approved occupational heat illness cases has steadily increased each year: 13 cases in 2020, 19 in 2021, 23 in 2022, 31 in 2023, and 51 in 2024. Already, 17 cases have been approved as of July 2025, including 3 fatalities. As heatwaves become more frequent due to the prolonged climate crisis, heat illness is becoming a constant risk rather than a seasonal hazard.

The actual number of occupational heat illness cases may be much higher than what is captured in official statistics. For a case to be officially recognized as work-related, a clear link to work must be established. In reality, many incidents are not recorded as heat illness, instead being dismissed as simple exhaustion or dizziness. At small construction sites that hire day laborers, workers who collapse are often considered to have personal health issues rather than work-related injuries. This suggests that the true scale of the problem is likely much greater than the statistics indicate.

Experts stress the need for increased funding to prevent occupational heat illness. Kim Yoosun, director of the Korea Labor & Society Institute, stated, "Occupational heat illness is not simply a matter of personal health management but a structural industrial safety issue. The smaller the worksite, the more likely it is to lack safety personnel and rest facilities due to cost constraints, resulting in more cases." She emphasized, "As summers continue to get hotter, government support for personnel and budgets is necessary."

Kim Kwanghyun, professor at Korea University's Graduate School of Labor Studies, noted, "Currently, a 20-minute break every two hours is implemented during heatwaves, but its effectiveness may decrease depending on individual physical responses and specific site conditions." He added, "If budgets are allocated to install body temperature sensors around worksites to identify overheated workers and take preventive action, it would be effective in preventing occupational heat illness."