S. Korean workers to get ice vests, adjusted hours with more scorching days ahead

SEOUL – Ice vests and adjusted hours are being offered to workers at some of South Korea’s biggest companies to

protect staff from stifling heat

as the nation braces itself for more scorching weather in August.

Employees at petrochemical producer LG Chem are being offered ice vests to keep cool, while workers at Posco Holdings and HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering can take extended breaks to prevent heat-related illness.

The adjustments have been made recently due to rising temperatures.

Extreme temperatures are baking vast areas of the world from Asia to Europe and the Americas, stretching power grids and posing a serious threat to human health.

South Korea

raised its heatwave warning

to the highest level for the first time in four years earlier this week, with some parts of the nation experiencing temperatures above 38 deg C.

South Korea has been battered by a range of extreme weather, with flooding and landslides in July damaging homes and roads and killing people. The more recent scorching heat has led to the deaths of at least 22 people as at Tuesday, according to the National Fire Agency.

More than 100 attendees at the World Scout Jamboree in South Korea have fallen sick with heat-related illness.

The Korea Meteorological Administration said high temperatures are expected to persist, according to its 10-day forecast released on Thursday. Temperatures will likely hover around 35 deg C in most parts of the country.

To cope with the heat, LG Chem is also offering extended breaks if temperatures are forecast to remain above 33 deg C for more than two days.

Battery maker LG Energy Solution said it has changed the hours for staff working in outdoor construction to avoid exposure to the hottest parts of the day.

Shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean said it would extend lunch breaks by one hour if temperatures exceed 31.5 deg C, and Samsung Electronics said the company is complying with the nation’s guidelines and constantly checking temperatures at its working areas to ensure the safety of employees. BLOOMBERG