Labor ministry urges outdoor work stoppages under severe heat alert

South Korea's labor ministry said Sunday it had ordered stepped-up heat-wave and confined-space safety measures after the government activated Level 2 of its emergency response to a prolonged nationwide heat wave.

When perceived temperatures reach 38 degrees Celsius, the ministry strongly recommends that workplaces halt outdoor work except emergency tasks. At 35 degrees, it recommends a halt from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., while at 33 degrees work schedules should be altered or outdoor shifts shortened.

The ministry ordered stronger round-the-clock operation of a special heat-safety task force involving its headquarters, regional offices, public agencies and private accident-prevention bodies. It also directed officials to rapidly issue heat warnings through the Serious Accident Siren system and ensure workplaces follow the five basic heat-safety rules and phased work-stoppage measures.

Inspections will target heat-vulnerable workplaces such as logistics centers and construction sites, with officials checking whether worker protections are being carried out and whether outdoor work is halted or schedules adjusted during the hottest hours.

The ministry urged local governments nationwide to halt non-emergency confined-space work that poses a suffocation risk. Higher temperatures can accelerate microbial growth and decay inside wastewater treatment facilities, sewer lines, septic tanks and storage containers, sharply increasing carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide concentrations.

Safety rules that took effect Dec. 1, 2025 require oxygen and hazardous-gas measuring devices to be provided for confined-space work and measurement results to be kept for three years. They also require 119 to be called first if an accident occurs.