In response to the strengthened Occupational Safety and Health Standards Regulations taking effect on June 1, Willog has prepared a corporate response guideline. This guideline is expected to provide practical assistance to employers.
- Amendments to the Occupational Safety and Health Act strengthen employer obligations to prevent heat-related illness in workers; a new apparent temperature standard is introduced for extreme heat conditions, set to take effect in June
- Willog releases corporate compliance guidelines, presenting practical countermeasures including heat-related illness prevention and the recording and retention of temperature and humidity data
- Willog's solution supports automatic measurement and recording of apparent temperature and provides real-time alerts when the temperature approaches 31 degrees Celsius
Willog (co-CEOs Bae Sung-hoon and Yoon Ji-hyun), an IoT-based logistics intelligence solution provider, publicly released on the 13th a corporate response guideline for the prevention of heat-related illness in workers, in line with the upcoming amendments to the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Regulations set to take effect in June.
Apparent Temperature Standards Under the Revised Occupational Safety and Health Act: Supporting Industry Compliance
The amendments to the Occupational Safety and Health Act were announced by the Ministry of Employment and Labor as a pre-legislative notice and contain measures to prevent health hazards to workers resulting from extreme heat and cold.
Key provisions include: the definition of "extreme heat" and "extreme heat work"; countermeasures for extreme heat in indoor workplaces; preventive measures for heat-related illness; and guaranteed rest periods for workers during extreme heat. As a result, employers' health management obligations and accountability are significantly strengthened. Employers who violate these provisions may face imprisonment of up to five years or a fine of up to KRW 50 million; in the event of a worker's death, the penalty increases to up to seven years of imprisonment or a fine of up to KRW 100 million.
In particular, the amendment defines "extreme heat work" as work performed over extended hours in workplaces where the apparent temperature reaches or exceeds 31 degrees Celsius. This requires employers to gain a clear understanding of apparent temperature, which cannot be measured with a standard thermometer, and to take appropriate preparatory measures. Apparent temperature is calculated by combining dry-bulb temperature, relative humidity, wet-bulb temperature, and other factors, and the related data must be retained through the end of the applicable year.
Willog organized the employer obligations specified in the amendment into three categories and provided concrete guidelines: extreme heat prevention measures, heat-related illness response, and the installation of thermometers and hygrometers for apparent temperature measurement along with data recording and retention.
Measures included in the guidelines are:
- Installation of appropriate temperature and humidity control devices for cooling and ventilation
- Provision of adequate rest periods
- Education on symptoms, prevention, and emergency response for heat-related illness
- Installation of thermometers within the workplace
- Measurement of apparent temperature and recording and retention of related data
In particular, the solution provides apparent temperature records based on temperature and humidity data, enabling effective compliance with the guidelines under the revised Occupational Safety and Health Act and playing a significant role in safeguarding worker health and improving work environments.
Furthermore, the solution enables real-time monitoring not only of workers' work environments but also of the condition of goods stored within a space, making integrated management of all logistics assets possible. This helps minimize risks across the entire logistics chain and contributes to the advancement of corporate logistics strategies.
Willog Co-CEO Yoon Ji-hyun stated: "We have prepared these guidelines to help employers make practical preparations under clearer standards in response to the revised Occupational Safety and Health Act. Willog's solution can automatically measure and record apparent temperature in work spaces, enabling proactive protection of worker health."
Detailed guideline content is available on the Willog website.