"Prepare for Autumn Typhoon Damage and Beware of Agricultural Machinery Accidents in September"

Ministry of the Interior and Safety Designates Key Disaster Safety Accident Types for Priority Management

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has selected 'typhoons' and 'agricultural machinery accidents' as the types of disaster safety incidents to focus on in September and urged special caution to prevent damage.

According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on the 27th, an average of five typhoons occur every September, with about one affecting South Korea.

From 2009 to 2018, over a 10-year period, there were a total of four typhoon-related damages in September, resulting in property damage worth 534.8 billion KRW and eight casualties.

In particular, last year saw as many as six typhoons, among which Typhoon No. 13 'Lingling', Typhoon No. 17 'Tapah', and Typhoon No. 18 'Mitag' affected South Korea. This was recorded as the year with the highest number of typhoons affecting the country in September since 1904.

When a typhoon occurs, accidents such as objects being blown or falling unexpectedly due to strong winds can happen, so it is advisable to avoid going out and not to leave the house if possible.

Areas at risk of flooding such as riverbanks and coastal areas should be avoided as they can be swept away by rapid currents. Places like construction sites and greenhouses, where materials may fall due to strong winds, should be inspected and monitored in advance.

As the autumn harvest begins in September, the use of agricultural machinery increases in rural areas, raising the risk of accidents, so caution is necessary.

From 2014 to 2018, a total of 6,981 agricultural machinery accidents occurred domestically, resulting in 492 deaths and 6,003 injuries. Among these, 742 accidents occurred in September alone, causing 705 casualties.

The main cause of accidents was careless driving (such as overturning or falling), accounting for 54.0%, followed by poor maintenance at 19.3%, and failure to follow safety rules at 10.3%.

To prevent accidents, when moving agricultural machinery such as tillers on narrow farm roads or slopes, reduce speed, and avoid operating the steering clutch or gears on steep slopes as much as possible. When driving tractors, use the left and right brake pedals connected together and do not remove the safety frame.

Especially, if agricultural machinery that was submerged during recent heavy rains has not yet been repaired, it must be inspected by a professional before use.

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