Assigning Safety Ratings to Public Institutions... To Be Implemented Starting Next Year

Introduction of Safety Rating System and Safety Management Responsibility Report for Public Institutions

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] The Ministry of Economy and Finance announced that it has notified all public institutions on the 11th, following the resolution of the Public Institution Management Committee on the 5th, regarding the amendment of the "Guidelines on Safety Management of Public Institutions" for the introduction of the Public Institution Safety Rating System and Safety Management Responsibility Report in 2021.

The Public Institution Safety Rating System and Safety Management Responsibility Report are expected to significantly contribute to the reduction of major accidents by presenting systematic standards and diagnostics related to safety management to improve actual safety levels, enhancing safety awareness in public institutions, and promoting the establishment of a safety culture that spreads to the private sector.

The Public Institution Safety Rating System assigns a five-level safety rating annually by evaluating safety capabilities, safety levels, and safety values for public institutions that possess risk factors.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance forms and operates a Safety Rating Evaluation Team composed of external safety experts and safety management specialized organizations (such as the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, the Korea Facilities Safety Corporation, and the National Research Safety Management Project Headquarters) to ensure objective safety rating assessments and decisions.

The safety rating results are disclosed not only to public institutions but also to the general public, and incentives or penalties are applied according to the safety rating, which is also reflected in management evaluations.

The Safety Management Responsibility Report mandates all public institutions to prepare and disclose a report to strengthen accountability in safety management.

The Safety Management Responsibility Report includes not only the safety management plans for the current year but also the previous year's implementation performance, inspection results, and accident status, and it is reflected in the public institution safety rating evaluation.

A Ministry of Economy and Finance official stated, "The Public Institution Safety Rating System will be piloted this year with about 60 institutions and implemented from 2021 with about 110 institutions, and the disclosure of the Safety Management Responsibility Report will be enforced from April 2021."

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