[News Today] “Night shift limit for delivery workers”

[LEAD]
Concerns over overwork-related deaths among Coupang delivery workers continue to grow.

Now, a government-commissioned study has for the first time examined the health risks of overnight deliveries.

The findings, obtained by KBS, warn that prolonged night work poses serious dangers, and recommend setting a strict weekly cap on nighttime labor hours.

[REPORT]
In May last year, late Chung Seul-ki died at home from heart disease after a night shift at Coupang.

An investigation found that he had been working night shifts more than 10 hours a day for six days a week.

Chung's Spouse / (July 2024)
He lost nearly 10kg in just 3–4 weeks.

Late Oh Seung-yong died in a traffic accident during a night shift last month.

He worked six days a week with an average workweek of 69 hours.

It was also revealed that he worked eight days in a row prior to his death.

Oh's sister / (Nov. 28)
How many more workers need to die for you to see them as human beings?

As workers' deaths continued, the labor ministry launched its first tracking investigation.

It measured heart rate, blood pressure, and other biomarkers of 10 night delivery workers and four daytime workers to assess health risks.

The results showed that blood pressure, which should normally drop by more than 10% during sleep, increased in night workers.

In some cases, blood pressure did not return to normal levels until after three days off.

The heart rate during work was also found to be higher in night delivery workers.

Based on the findings, the researchers concluded that nighttime delivery workers should work only about eight hours a day and between 40 and 46 hours a week.

They also said night shifts should be limited to 12 times a month, without exceeding four consecutive days.

Park Hong-bae / Democratic Party
Cases of long night shifts year-round like at Coupang logistics centers are hard to find in Korea or abroad.

A delivery sector social dialogue body led by the Democratic Party plans to continue labor–management discussions based on the researchers' recommendations.

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