The Ministry of Employment and Labor held a nationwide meeting of heads of institutions on the 4th to prevent heat waves and major disasters.
The meeting, which was held virtually that morning, was chaired by Vice Minister Kwon Chang-jun and attended by heads of 48 local employment and labor offices across the country. This is a follow-up measure to President Lee Jae-myung's statement the previous day during his first press conference since taking office, where he noted, "I will never overlook the responsibility to establish a safety society, including preparing measures to prevent the recurrence of repeated industrial disasters."
Vice Minister Kwon said, "Until the heat wave subsides, please actively guide the heads of institutions to visit business sites that are vulnerable, such as construction sites, shipyards, and workplaces with many foreign workers."
In response, meeting participants decided to address the overall industrial safety and health tasks, including site guidance, inspections, supervision, and support.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor also plans to check compliance with five basic rules in industrial sites, as heat waves are expected this summer. The five basic rules include taking a 20-minute break every 2 hours, providing cool water and cooling containers, ensuring air conditioning availability, and promptly reporting emergencies to 119.