Starting July 17, in order to protect workers’ health during extreme heat, the Ministry of Employment and Labor will implement amendments to the Industrial Safety and Health Regulations.
After the October 22, 2024 amendment to the Occupational Safety and Health Act, employers had until last summer followed guidelines for cooling and ventilation, rest breaks, and other protective measures. The new regulation codifies those measures to strengthen workers’ right to rest and health protection under heat stress conditions.
Key provisions of the amended regulations, which take effect on July 17, are as follows:
[Employer Health Measures: Main Provisions]
1. Health measures for work in heat with a “feels-like” temperature of 31 °C or above
If a worker remains on duty for two hours or longer in a location where the “feels-like” temperature (humidity-adjusted temperature) is 31 °C or higher, the employer—regardless of whether the work is indoors or outdoors—must implement at least one of the following measures to reduce heat exposure:
* Install and operate air-conditioning or ventilation equipment
* Adjust working hours (e.g. shift start/end times)
* Provide periodic rest breaks
If, despite installing/operating air-conditioning or ventilation equipment or adjusting work hours, the “feels-like” temperature at the worksite remains at or above 31 °C, the employer must still provide periodic rest breaks appropriate to the nature of the work.
2. Mandatory rest breaks every two hours for work in heat of 33 °C or above
When the “feels-like” temperature reaches 33 °C or higher, employers must give workers at least 20 minutes of rest within every two-hour period. Depending on site conditions, alternative schedules—such as 10 minutes of rest every hour—are also permissible.
However, if the nature of the work makes it extremely difficult to schedule rest breaks at fixed times, an exception may be granted, provided that the employer distributes or operates individual cooling devices (e.g. personal air-conditioning units) or supplies and has workers wear cooling garments or other personal cooling equipment.
“Extremely difficult to schedule rest breaks” refers to situations where fixed-time rest breaks are impractical, such as:
1. Emergency operations directly tied to human life and safety under the Framework Act on the Management of Disasters and Safety
2. Urgent corrective work in response to sudden equipment or facility failures
3. Operations at airports, ports, or similar facilities that, if interrupted, would severely disrupt aircraft or ship operations
4. Critical tasks (e.g., concrete pouring) where pausing work would seriously jeopardize structural safety
3. Provision of cool drinking water
In order to prevent heat-related illnesses, employers must ensure ample access to water and electrolytes. In any area where workers sweat heavily, salt and beverages (e.g. bottled water) must be readily available so that workers can stay hydrated adequately.
4. Emergency reporting of heat-illness cases (or suspected cases)
If a worker shows symptoms of heat-related illness—such as headache, dizziness, muscle cramps, or altered consciousness—or is suspected of having such symptoms, the employer must immediately call 119 (the Korean emergency number).
In addition, any work during which a heat-illness case (or suspected case) occurs, and any identical tasks, must be halted. The employer must then check whether preventive measures—such as operating cooling equipment and providing rest breaks—are being properly implemented, and must correct any deficiencies without delay.
[Recommended Additional Measures for Work in Heat of 35 °C or Above]
As heatwaves intensify and temperatures rise further, the following measures are recommended to safeguard workers’ health:
1. At 35 °C or above
* Provide 15 minutes of rest in a cool rest area each hour
* Suspend outdoor work during peak-heat hours (14:00–17:00), except when absolutely unavoidable
* Appoint a safety officer responsible for monitoring workers’ health
2. At 38 °C or above
* Provide 15 minutes of rest in a cool rest area each hour
* Suspend all outdoor work during peak-heat hours (14:00–17:00) except for emergency operations essential to disaster response or safety management
* Restrict outdoor work for heat-sensitive groups (e.g. those prone to heatstroke)
* Appoint a safety officer responsible for monitoring workers’ health
[Strengthened Government-wide Prevention Activities for Heat-Vulnerable Workers]
Small-scale high-risk workplaces with fewer than 50 employees will receive rapid support—by the end of July—for heat-illness prevention equipment such as portable air-conditioners and ice-making machines (KRW 20 billion from the 2025 budget plus KRW 15 billion in supplementary funds).
In order to protect workers in heat-vulnerable occupations (e.g. airport ground staff, seasonal agricultural laborers, logging workers), the Ministry of Employment and Labor will coordinate prevention campaigns in cooperation with relevant ministries and agencies.
Workplaces employing large numbers of migrant workers will, in collaboration with local governments and other agencies, distribute the “5 Basic HeatSafety Rules” in 17 languages and conduct joint site inspections.
For delivery and courier workers, local governments and platform operators will strengthen collaboration to ensure “provision of cool water and rest shelters” and encourage “taking breaks during deliveries.” Delivery and courier companies will be actively guided to offer ice water and schedule regular rest breaks.
[Unannounced Inspections of High-Risk Heat Workplaces]
In order to ensure strict on-site compliance with the amended regulations, the Ministry of Employment and Labor will intensify unannounced inspections from July 21 until September 30. Inspections (covering approximately 4,000 workplaces) will focus on sites where heat-illness cases (or reports of legal violations) have occurred, as well as construction, shipbuilding, logistics/courier operations, and workplaces with many migrant workers.
Inspectors will verify adherence to the “5 Basic HeatSafety Rules” and the obligation to provide rest facilities; any violations will be met with mandatory corrective orders. In cases where heatstroke has led to a serious accident, work will be halted and an investigation will be conducted under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.
Vice Minister Chang-jun Kwon stated, “In this first year of implementation, we will mobilize all available administrative resources to ensure that the requirement to provide at least 20 minutes of rest every two hours—and all other provisions of the amended regulations—are rigorously enforced on site,” and added, “We will also work closely with local governments to ensure that mobile workers are not overlooked and are fully protected from extreme heat.”