South Korea to introduce mandatory breaks for workers during heat waves next week
Employees working outdoors during heat waves will be guaranteed longer breaks starting next week, the labor ministry said Friday, following a series of heat-related worker deaths, Yonhap reports.
Under the new regulation, employers will be obliged to give their outdoor workers at least 20 minutes of rest every two hours when the perceived temperature reaches 33 C or higher.
The measure comes after several outdoor workers died earlier this month during an unusually severe heat wave.
The Regulatory Reform Committee (RRC) approved the new regulation earlier in the day. The committee had initially recommended reconsideration of the rule during its previous reviews in April and May, citing concerns that it could burden small and mid-sized businesses.
The ministry said the RRC overturned its previous decision in a second review, and agreed to the regulation amid urgent calls to better protect workers' health and safety.
Earlier, it was reported that the heat wave across Europe has resulted in the deaths of 2,300 people.
