Local household waste sanitation workers at their worksite (Photo courtesy of the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union).
SEOUL, Aug. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — A majority of indoor and outdoor labor sites in South Korea — from logistics centers to waste collection routes — are operating under extreme heat conditions well above the official safety threshold, according to a labor union survey released on Wednesday.
The Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union (KPTU) said its “heat wave monitoring team” inspected more than 60 worksites nationwide last month, including school cafeterias, logistics hubs, greenhouses, waste collection points and road maintenance sites. For one to two weeks at each location, the team measured both temperature and humidity to calculate the heat index.
The results were stark: only one site recorded a heat index below the national “extreme heat” standard of 31°C, which mandates protective measures. Most sites reached at least 33°C — conditions requiring more than 20 minutes of rest every two hours — while some, including greenhouses, incineration plants, rooftop parking lots, and waste collection points, exceeded 40°C. At Incheon International Airport, asphalt surface temperatures climbed as high as 57°C.
A separate “heat wave response checklist” conducted at 17 worksites — from municipal offices to sanitation and logistics crews — found that just 58.8 percent enforced the recommended 20-minute breaks every two hours at 33°C or above. More than a third reported no adequate rest area near work zones or said existing facilities needed improvement.
The findings highlight persistent gaps in workplace heat safety measures as South Korea faces intensifying summer temperatures, raising concerns over labor protection and enforcement standards.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
