LH to Mandate Installation of Automated External Defibrillators at All Worksites

[Asia Economy Reporter Chunhee Lee] Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) announced on the 12th that, as part of improving labor conditions at construction sites and creating safer construction sites in response to the aging workforce, it will mandate the installation of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at construction sites starting this month.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the number of acute cardiac arrest patients in 2018 was 30,539 and has been increasing annually. This figure represents a 39.4% increase compared to 2008. In particular, construction workers, who often work outdoors, are directly exposed to temperature changes and have an average age of 52, making them a high-risk group for vascular diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.

When cardiac arrest occurs, receiving emergency treatment within the "golden time" of 4 minutes can increase the survival rate up to threefold, making AEDs essential equipment in places where emergencies may occur. Accordingly, LH plans to fully introduce AEDs at all construction sites it commissions in the future and expand their application to existing sites where installation was previously voluntary.

Considering the characteristics of each site, LH will install fixed AEDs at apartment complexes and residential development sites, and portable devices at landscaping construction sites. Additionally, foreign language materials in Chinese, Vietnamese, and other languages will be utilized for foreign workers.

Kang Dong-ryeol, Head of LH Construction Technology Headquarters, stated, “Through mandating the installation of AEDs at construction sites, we will contribute to protecting workers' lives and reducing accidents, and we will focus all our efforts on improving the working environment for construction workers and strengthening construction safety in the future.”

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