10 Years Spent Feeding Children... What Returned Was a Lung Cancer Diagnosis

6 Incheon School Cafeteria Workers Diagnosed with Lung Cancer
"Support for Cafeteria Workers' Livelihoods and Return-to-Work Measures Needed"

A (in their 50s), who worked for 12 years in the cafeteria of an elementary school located in Incheon, was informed of a suspected lung cancer diagnosis during a CT scan last August. A detailed biopsy confirmed early-stage lung cancer, stage 1. For A, a non-smoker with no family history, the news was devastating. After quitting work and starting treatment, maintaining a livelihood became difficult. Non-regular cafeteria workers are entitled to a maximum of 60 days of paid sick leave per year.

A woman working in the cafeteria.
Photo by School Irregular Workers Union

The cause of A's lung cancer was 'cooking fumes' generated from high-temperature frying and grilling. Prolonged exposure to cooking fumes during intense 8-hour workdays adversely affected their health.

To prove the occupational disease, A frequently visited the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service, hospitals, and the school. Fortunately, after three months, A was recognized for industrial accident compensation due to 'occupational cancer' and received medical benefits for one year, but further financial support is difficult to expect.

Ultimately, A is considering returning to the school cafeteria where ventilation facility improvements have not even begun.

According to the Incheon School Non-Regular Workers Solidarity (Incheon Hakbi Yeondae), among 1,848 cafeteria workers in Incheon last year, 4 were diagnosed with lung cancer, and 882 workers (47.73%) showed 'abnormal findings.'

Since May, CT screenings have been expanded to include workers with less than 10 years of service and under 55 years old, resulting in 2 additional confirmed lung cancer cases, bringing the total confirmed cases to 6. Among these 6 confirmed cases, only A has been recognized for industrial accident compensation so far. The other 5 are either awaiting review results or undergoing application procedures.

Incheon Hakbi Yeondae pointed out, "Since last year, lung cancer diagnoses among cafeteria workers have been increasing, but practical support measures for them have not been established," and emphasized, "A manual must be established so that they can undergo treatment stably and return to work."

Meanwhile, the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education plans to establish and implement a mid- to long-term plan to improve cafeteria environments at 474 public schools by 2026.

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