Burning 360 Tons a Day... Workers Cannot Leave Even at 57 Degrees Celsius

[Anchor]

Even standing still brings an immediate flood of sweat amid the scorching heatwave, but there are workers who toil in front of an even hotter heat.

Reporter Jeong Jiyeon met the workers guarding their workplaces while fully dressed in work clothes that wrap around their entire bodies.

[Reporter]

This is a resource and environment center that burns 360 tons of household waste every day to produce heat for district heating and electricity.

With the incinerator's heat exceeding 850°C (1562°F), the internal temperature of the workplace reaches up to 57°C (135°F), and the surface temperature of pipes marked with "High Temperature Caution" rises to around 70°C (158°F).

To inspect the facility, workers must wear protective suits like this.

After wearing it and walking around for about an hour, my entire face was drenched in sweat.

In winter, one could take off the protective suit and temporarily step out of the workplace to cool down, but amid a heatwave like this summer's, stepping outside is also a ordeal.

The use of cooling equipment is restricted to prevent condensation from forming water droplets that obstruct vision.

Even the first basement level, considered the coolest spot at the plant, exceeds 36°C (97°F).

[Kim Min-yeon / Manager, Incineration Facility Operation Team: This is actually the coolest place. In the field. The upper level is really hot, so even if you wear a cooling vest, hot wind blows in...]

The surface temperature of the welding workbench, where sparks fly, well exceeds 100°C (212°F).

Although the air conditioner is turned on, sweat quickly beads up on the welder's forehead.

The interior of this open workspace exceeded 38°C (100°F).

With the added heat from welding, the workers feel an even more intense level of heat.

Having to always wear long sleeves makes it even harder in the summer.

[Kim Young-guk / CEO, Metal Processing Products Manufacturer: Because of the welding light, we have to wear thick clothes. Otherwise, the welding light penetrates into the body and causes burns all over.]

While the government supports cooling devices such as portable air conditioners for facilities vulnerable to heatwaves like welding workspaces, this summer's heatwave feels hotter to them than to anyone else.

(Photo courtesy of Yonhap News)
(Video Reported by Choi Dae-woong and Lee Sang-hak | Video Edited by Kim Yoon-sung | Design by Han Heung-soo)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.