"Half Can't Rest Even in Heatwave"... Inside a Construction Site

[Anchor]

Even though the heat has subsided somewhat, it is still hot during midday. Voices are growing louder calling for countermeasures at construction sites, where workers must toil under the scorching sun.

Reporter Lee Se-hyeon went to the scene.

[Reporter]

An apartment construction site in Seoul.

Work is in full swing under the scorching sun without a single patch of shade.

Viewed through a thermal imaging camera, the heated ground and the helmets worn by the working laborers are dyed a uniform red.

The reporting team also participated in a simple task.

[Wow, this is so heavy. Because it is an iron plate, it is quite hot.]

The perceived temperature at the site is currently reaching 34°C (93°F).

Now, what is the temperature of the iron plate that I had to carry and move?

It exceeded a whopping 70°C (158°F).

Consequently, just from carrying it and working for a short while, the site was hot enough to make me feel dizzy.

[Ha Geun-ju / Construction Worker: Having done this work, I think this year is the hottest.]

As the perceived temperature exceeded the threshold of 33°C (91°F), a 15-minute break was granted every hour at the site.

Air conditioning units were also running in the resting spaces, placing the site visited by the reporting team in a relatively better condition.

[It is too hot to live. Prepare heatwave countermeasures!]

In a survey conducted by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions targeting some 2,500 construction workers this summer, about half responded that they are "working without orders to halt even during heatwaves."

[Eom In-su / Senior Vice President, Korean Construction Workers' Union: Only 20.6% of people received all the workplace cooling facilities and personal cooling gear that should be provided in accordance with the revised Occupational Safety and Health Acts.]

This means that even without the bare minimum protective devices stipulated by law, situations occur at sites where workers simply endure and work for a living.

In fact, last week when the heatwave reached its extreme, many construction sites ground to a complete halt, and the consensus at the sites is that measures are needed to offset the resulting drop in wages.

[Ha Geun-ju / Construction Worker: The people who come here endure it to a certain extent, but when it is this hot, it would be nice if they adjusted the early morning hours a bit, like starting early or utilizing methods like that...]

Experts advised that, especially for outdoor workers with high labor intensity, health and safety monitoring at sites should be further strengthened, and work hours should be operated flexibly, such as starting work earlier in the morning during heatwaves.

(Photo: Yang Ji-hoon | Video Editing: So Ji-hye | Design: Kim Min-young)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.