Hanwha Ocean announced on the 10th that it will expand mobile heat illness prevention activities to ensure worker safety amid the early heatwave this year.
The mobile heat illness prevention activities go beyond expanding fixed cooling facilities like break rooms; it is a more proactive approach where facilities or items for heat illness prevention visit the workers.
Even in the same outdoor environment, the characteristics of the shipbuilding industry, which change the situation and frequency of exposure to heat based on production plans and schedules, have been taken into account.
To that end, Hanwha Ocean has introduced cooling buses. Despite the increase in fixed cooling facilities, this measure aims to ensure that no worker is left exposed to the heat due to the rapid increase in the workforce.
Additionally, through the visiting ice water activity, more than 300 ice waters are supplied daily to outdoor work areas, such as the work site of the dock.
In addition to extending lunch hours during heat waves since 1992, Hanwha Ocean has implemented longer rest periods. Hanwha Ocean extends lunch by 30 minutes when the temperature exceeds 28 degrees Celsius and by one hour when it exceeds 31.5 degrees.
Rest periods are granted for 10 minutes at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. when the temperature exceeds 33 degrees Celsius, but recently this has been extended to 20 minutes.
Moreover, at the Geoje plant, ice machines and water purifiers are installed every 150 meters to prevent dehydration among workers, and temporary resting facilities have been significantly expanded, currently operating 98 break rooms.
Additionally, they operate over 200 mobile large air conditioners and have distributed more than 1,220 shade curtains, air jackets, and other items on-site. For migrant workers, the 'heat illness prevention guidelines,' translated into 10 languages, including Korean, are continuously promoted to all employees.
A representative from Hanwha Ocean noted, 'The occurrence of heat illnesses due to heatwaves can fluctuate depending on the weather and worksite,' emphasizing that Hanwha Ocean will utilize all methods to conduct a full-scale effort to protect employees, such as proactively preparing in areas where heatwaves are expected.