Port safety funds to cover bottled water, cooling vests as heat, cold protections expand

The government is expanding the permitted uses of port safety management funds to better protect port workers from summer heat waves and winter cold snaps. Operators will now be able to use the funds to purchase items such as bottled water and cooling vests, and to install heated and air-conditioned rest shelters.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said Tuesday it had revised its guidelines on the operation of port safety management funds, with the changes taking effect Friday.

The port safety management fund system was introduced in 2022 to support accident prevention and worker safety training at port cargo-handling businesses. Until now, eligible uses had been limited to installing and maintaining safety facilities, paying safety managers' wages, and conducting safety education.

The revision adds a new eligible category: the purchase, installation, and improvement of equipment, supplies, and facilities needed to prevent and respond to heat- and cold-related illnesses among port workers.

Under the updated guidelines, port cargo-handling businesses can use the funds to buy bottled water, cooling vests, and other gear, as well as to set up heated and air-conditioned rest areas to prepare workers for extreme weather.

The ministry said it revised the guidelines in response to the growing need to improve working conditions for outdoor port workers, as climate change has extended the duration of heat waves and cold spells.

"We expect this revision to allow port workers to work in a safer environment," said Kim Hye-jeong, director general of the ministry's maritime logistics bureau. "We will continue to improve the safety management system to keep pace with the changing work environment."