Seoul: Employees working outdoors during heat waves will soon be entitled to longer breaks, as the labor ministry announced that new regulations will take effect starting next week. This decision follows a series of tragic heat-related worker deaths.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the new regulation mandates that employers provide outdoor workers with at least 20 minutes of rest every two hours when the perceived temperature reaches 33 degrees Celsius or higher. This measure is a response to the deaths of several outdoor workers earlier this month, who succumbed to an unusually severe heat wave.
The Regulatory Reform Committee (RRC) gave the green light to the new regulation earlier today. Initially, the committee had suggested a reconsideration of the rule during its reviews in April and May, expressing concerns about the potential financial burden on small and mid-sized businesses. However, the RRC reversed its previous stance during a second review, acknowledging the urgent need to enhance worker health and safety measures.