기름 튀는 조리실, 열 뿜는 엔진룸…실내 온열질환 산재 급증

In the central coastal region of South Korea, a new wave of indoor heat-related illness illnesses is sweeping through workplaces, affecting even those employed in indoor settings. Park Hee-kyung, a 51-year-old cafeteria worker at a school in Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do, often returns to work with sweat-soaked uniforms, even after the air conditioning has been turned on.

"The air conditioning does not help once cooking begins," she laments, "I get drenched in sweat from the heat." Park advocates for improvements to facilities, such as better hood ventilation for deep-frying, and adjusting the menu to include less heat-generating dishes during the summer months.

The Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency has reported a surge in such illness claims. In 2022, there were just two recognized instances of indoor heat-related occupational illness, but this number had jumped to 19 cases in 2023 and 18 in 2024. As of July this year, only four cases have been officially acknowledged. Typical indoor heat hazards include cafeteria kitchens, factory enclosed spaces, and places where welding or galvanizing is carried out.

One cafeteria worker in Gyeonggi-do's Hwaseong city was hospitalized after collapsing from intense sweating and dizziness due to a broken air conditioner in his workplace. Similarly, another worker who fried side dishes in a restaurant's kitchen and another who worked with a charcoal grill in a restaurant's pantry also fell ill in August 2024. In a separate incident, a welder who was working on a tank in an enclosed space without proper ventilation fainted from the heat and was rushed to the emergency room.

The Korean Labor Safety Standards dictate that workers must be allowed to stop working if the heat becomes too much, in both outdoor and indoor environments. However, the guidelines are vague and often result in only recommendations for action rather than enforceable regulations. Lawyer Gwon Dong-ji of the Joint Labor Law Firm suggests that stricter enforcement measures are needed.

"Even in outdoor work situations, 'urgent danger' is often the only condition that allows for work stoppage, making it difficult to implement," he remarks. Environmental improvements in indoor spaces are urgently needed, according to Kim Im-jin, a safety official at the Public Workers' Union of Democratic Party. She notes that the temperature and humidity are higher during cleaning and cooking times than in outdoor work, and that work stoppage is difficult to implement due to the need to streamline meal service.