In order to prevent heat stroke and other diseases among shipyard workers, South Korea’s HD Hyundai Group announced that it would extend the rest time for shipyard workers.
On June 25, HD Hyundai announced that it will extend the rest time for on-site employees of its shipbuilding subsidiaries including HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, HD Hyundai Samho, and HD Hyundai Mipo this summer.
HD Hyundai prioritizes the health and safety of shipyard employees who work outdoors for long hours in the recent hot and humid weather, which is the first time in the Korean shipbuilding industry.
In particular, HD Hyundai’s early implementation has even greater significance as the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) is revising the Occupational Safety and Health Act to extend employees’ rest time during the hot summer months.
Under the measure, shipbuilding subsidiaries including HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, HD Hyundai Samho and HD Hyundai Mipo will extend their rest time (originally 10 minutes) at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to twice the original time (20 minutes) from July to September when working in hot summer with the perceived temperature reaching over 33 degrees Celsius.
In addition to extending the break time, lunch time will be extended by 30 minutes during the hot summer period (July 10 to August 31); during other periods, when the temperature reaches above 28 degrees, lunch time will be extended by 20 minutes.
Also, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries plans to operate four additional mobile bus rest facilities during the hot summer months, which will travel around the site during lunch time and afternoon breaks to provide employees with a place to escape the heat.
Previously, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries had added more than 50 new rest rooms equipped with air conditioning and water dispensers at the shipbuilding site, and had also set up new rest rooms on board for employees working on ships.
An official from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries said, “As high temperatures become more common due to climate change, protecting the lives and health of employees is a corporate responsibility and the starting point for sustainable management. The company will take this opportunity to improve the overall composition of industrial safety and take the lead in creating a safe shipbuilding culture.”