Record-breaking Heat... Seoul City Construction Site Safety Inspection "Right to Rest in Heatwave"

[Financial News] Seoul City announced on the 13th that it will strengthen promotions, campaigns, and site inspections to ensure compliance with heatwave safety rules for construction workers during the hot season until August to prevent heat-related illnesses.
The focus is on preventing casualties in advance by complying with safety rules on site.
The site inspections will be conducted by 14 members of 7 teams from the Seoul City Major Accident Monitoring Group at over 300 public and private construction sites in Seoul until August.
The inspections will check △ whether workers on site are provided with enough water △ whether ventilation devices such as air conditioners or fans and shade structures are installed △ whether appropriate rest time is guaranteed when a heatwave warning is issued △ whether personal cooling equipment such as cooling vests is provided △ whether an emergency response system is in place in case of heat-related illness.
During this process, posters and banners promoting the '5 Basic Rules for Preventing Heat-related Illnesses' will be produced and distributed on site. Additionally, leaflets produced in 8 languages, including Chinese, will be directly delivered to foreign workers.
The city plans to actively encourage the spread of heatwave safety measures to private construction sites as well. Any violations found on site will be reported to relevant agencies such as the Ministry of Employment and Labor, and active measures such as administrative actions including work suspension will be taken.
Meanwhile, on the 11th, the amendment to the Industrial Safety and Health Standards Regulations, which ensures that workers are guaranteed at least 20 minutes of rest every 2 hours during a heatwave, passed the government Regulatory Reform Committee.
Han Byeong-yong, head of the Seoul City Disaster and Safety Office, said, "It is very important to comply with safety rules to prevent heat-related illnesses, especially at construction sites with a lot of outdoor work," and asked for the active participation of private construction sites.

ming@fnnews.com Jeon Min-gyeong Reporter