Cases of death-by-overwork have been on the rise here in Taiwan, but many hard-working laborers may not be aware that they belong to the high risk group. Now the Council of Labor Affairs is offering a simple self-test for burnout syndrome on its website, trying to help the public to detect the early signs of overworking.

This past March, a security officer that regularly worked 288 hours per month died of overwork. An HTC engineer was also found dead at home under similar circumstances.

In light of this alarming trend, the Council of Labor Affairs has set up an online questionnaire to help workers determine whether they are overworked.

According to a recent study, the amount of pressure that workers say they're under has increased by 10% over the past decade. In particular, those employed in the service and manufacturing industries are under the most pressure.

The CLA is providing enterprises with prevention management plans to help employers assess whether employees are overworked and assist those that are.

The council also recommends that workers take the questionnaire every two to three weeks. Those with high "overwork scores" should visit overwork clinics and adjust their work schedules.