CAMPERS INSTALLED IN CONSTRUCTION SITES

[Anchor Lead]

Repairs of roads or waterworks are carried out at night while people are asleep. But repair workers often face a difficulty to find restrooms at such late hours. As a way to resolve this problem, campers have been recently installed construction sites, bringing out a positive response. Here's more.

[Pkg]

Drainpipes repair is underway on a road in the middle of the night. Workers are busy burying pipes along a one-kilometer section. As their work site changes every night, it can be difficult to find a restroom during work.

[Soundbite] LEE MOON-KI(REPAIR WORKER) : "We try to use restrooms at stores or restaurants after getting permission from the owners. But there are people who lock them."

They often sit down for quick meals outdoors, with no time to wash their hands. Getting wet during work is something that happens frequently.

[Soundbite] JEONG CHUNG-KI(REPAIR WORKER) : "When it suddenly gets colder during the winter, we need to change clothes. But it's embarrassing when we have no choice but to get undressed out in the open."

A camper stands at a corner of the work site. The RV is installed there so the workers can take a break in it. The small vehicle comes fully equipped with a bathroom, washstand, table and chairs. In here, workers can wash hands, have snacks or take shelter from the cold weather.

[Soundbite] KIM KYUNG-HO(REPAIR WORKER) : "We can have coffee during cold weather. We can change clothes and use the bathroom."

The campers for repair workers were operated on a trial basis in two Seoul regions, and received positive reviews.

[Soundbite] LEE IN-YEOP(SEOUL METROPOLITAN FACILITIES MANAGEMENT CORPORATION(PROPOSED CAMPER OPERATION)) : "Conventional RVs are for families traveling and camping. So they don't meet the demand of work sites perfectly. They should be modified to better cater to workers' needs."

The Seoul Metropolitan Facilities Management Corporation is looking into custom ordering RVs tailored for the needs of such nighttime workers.