Parcel and Delivery Workers Begin 'Targeted Health Checkups'... Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency Emphasizes Urgent Protection for 'Essential Workers'

80% Support for 60,000 Delivery, Courier, Substitute Driving, and Sanitation Workers' Injury Expenses, 20% Burden on Employers

KOSHA (Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency).

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] A project to assist health checkups for ‘essential workers’ such as delivery, courier, and designated driver services is being launched.

The Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (Chairman Park Doo-yong) announced on the 29th that it will support health checkups to prevent occupational diseases such as death from overwork caused by excessive workloads of essential workers.

This support project is being implemented as part of the essential worker protection support measures announced by the government on December 14 last year.

The target groups are three types of special-type workers?couriers, delivery workers, and designated drivers?who played a key role in maintaining a non-face-to-face daily life through social distancing even during the COVID-19 crisis, as well as sanitation workers in workplaces with fewer than 20 employees.

The scale of this support project, funded by the government budget, is about 60,000 people with a total budget of 3.35 billion KRW.

When the eligible workers receive health checkups, the agency will cover 80% of the health checkup costs, and the remaining 20% will be borne by the employer.

Applications will be accepted through the agency’s website starting from the 29th. For special-type workers, the application should be made by the party receiving labor under the Industrial Safety and Health Act, such as platform companies, courier agencies, or delivery service companies, while for sanitation workers, the employer with an employment relationship should apply.

Health checkups will be conducted at special health examination institutions designated by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, and the status of these institutions by region can be checked on the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s website notices.

This support is characterized by conducting health checkups tailored to the characteristics of each occupation, reflecting recent social health issues of essential workers such as death from overwork and lung cancer. It is a so-called “targeted” health checkup focusing on exposed risks.

For couriers, delivery workers, and designated drivers, examinations focusing on cerebrovascular and cardiovascular systems will be conducted due to the risk of death from overwork caused by long working hours and night shifts.

For sanitation workers, respiratory system examinations related to lung cancer caused by diesel engine exhaust such as vehicle emissions and musculoskeletal disorder examinations due to handling heavy household waste will be conducted.

Based on the health checkup results, additional detailed health examinations will be conducted for high-risk groups with significant risks such as death from overwork, and systematic health management will be provided in connection with 23 worker health centers nationwide.

Since March 15, the agency has also been providing consulting and free protective gear support to more than 4,600 workplaces nationwide related to courier, sanitation, and mart workers to prevent musculoskeletal disorders among essential workers.

Chairman Park Doo-yong said, “The role of essential workers in maintaining society has become even more important due to COVID-19,” and added, “Now is the time for society to repay the dedication of essential workers.”

He also stated, “Through this health checkup support project, the agency will spare no effort to help essential workers performing core social functions work more safely and healthily.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.