Removal of Negligent Inspection Company Responsible for Pyeongtaek and Busan Tower Crane Accident Causes

The site of the tower crane accident in Dongnae-gu, Busan, which occurred last November [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] The government has decided to expel inspection companies responsible for tower crane accidents caused by faulty inspections.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 1st that it will cancel the designation of Korea Industrial Safety Inspection, the company that conducted regular inspections on tower cranes involved in accidents at construction sites in Busan last November and in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province this January.

This company inspected the crane involved in the accident at a new officetel construction site in Dongnae-gu, Busan last November, where the turntable fixing bolt broke, causing the crane's upper structure to overturn and damage the building exterior and one vehicle. It also inspected the crane involved in the accident in Cheongbuk-eup, Pyeongtaek this January, where the tower crane's main jib bent and collapsed while transporting construction materials. One worker died during concrete work in this accident.

After the accidents, separate from the accident investigations, the Ministry conducted an audit of Korea Industrial Safety Inspection’s inspection operation system and work performance appropriateness under the 'Construction Machinery Management Act' and held a hearing with the company according to the 'Administrative Procedures Act.'

As a result, it was revealed that despite receiving a one-month business suspension penalty last year for faulty inspections, Korea Industrial Safety Inspection continued to perform inadequate inspections without any improvements. The company was found to have been completely unaware of defects such as bolt failures, which were the causes of the tower crane accidents in Busan and Pyeongtaek. Additionally, the Ministry confirmed other faulty inspection practices, such as conducting inspections using safety review reports prepared by institutions other than the designated inspection agents and recording non-existent devices as appropriate.

The Ministry decided that canceling the designation of the inspection agency was unavoidable, considering "the possibility that the company may continue to perform inspections inadequately and the lack of improvements even after last year's disciplinary action." The Ministry also judged that urgent on-site inspections are necessary for eight other designated inspection agencies and began expanding work status inspections from the 30th of last month.

Lee Seong-hae, Director of the Construction Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "We will do our best to prevent the recurrence of tower crane accidents by ensuring that inspection agents thoroughly perform their inspection duties and eliminate equipment defects or risk factors in advance."

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