[Let's Run Again Construction Korea] Samsung C&T's 'Safety Awareness' Recognized Overseas... Two Consecutive Years of Top Awards

Singapore Land Transport Authority Safety Conference Grand Prize
"Safety is the First Principle of Management"... Utilizing Cutting-Edge Technology
Establishing and Implementing Customized Safety Measures for COVID-19

Plaque awarded to Samsung C&T at the 2020 Safety Competition hosted by the Land Transport Authority of Singapore (Photo by Samsung C&T)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Jiwon] Samsung C&T's 'Safety First' principle is well-known even in Singapore, where construction management is notoriously challenging. This is because a culture of prevention before accidents occur has been established through the use of information and communication technology (ICT) for COVID-19 management and a safety and health system aligned with global standards. Thanks to this thorough site management, Samsung C&T has set a record by winning the grand prize for two consecutive years at the safety competition hosted by the Singapore government.

The T307 subway site managed by Samsung C&T involves underground civil engineering work, primarily using heavy equipment such as excavators, ground improvement machines, and cranes. Such heavy machinery can lead to fatal accidents like worker collisions even with minor mistakes. To address this, Samsung C&T installed automatic proximity warning sensors on the equipment so that operators can immediately recognize when a worker approaches. The aim is to separate workers and equipment to create an environment where accidents cannot occur in the first place.

Additionally, a safety control center and safety training room have been set up on-site, allowing monitoring staff to observe work progress and safety training status in real time throughout the workplace. A Public Announcement (PA) system has been installed in the underground worksite to broadcast safety messages regularly. If dangerous behavior by workers is detected during monitoring, an immediate warning alarm sounds to remind workers of safety regulations while work continues.

This year, special attention is being paid to safety to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Various IT facilities such as contactless automatic temperature checkers and automatic entry recorders have been installed and are being operated on-site. Non-face-to-face training is provided for new workers to minimize the impact of COVID-19.

Samsung C&T’s T307 site was recognized for its proactive COVID-19 prevention efforts and received the 'Workplace Health Award' at the annual safety competition hosted by the Land Transport Authority of Singapore, the client. Furthermore, it has been externally acknowledged for its safety management capabilities by winning the grand prize at the safety competition for two consecutive years, last year and this year.

A local worker is checking body temperature at the Singapore T307 construction site managed by Samsung C&T. (Photo by Samsung C&T)

Samsung C&T stated, "All sites, including the T307 site, are conducting construction under the policy that 'Safety is the first principle of management.' We have established a unique safety and health system tailored to global standards and are fully committed to accident prevention activities by proactively supporting high-risk and vulnerable sites."

The industry is paying attention to the fact that Samsung C&T’s safety culture is achieved through the participation of both management and workers, rather than one-way instructions centered on managers. In fact, key executives of Samsung C&T directly participate in the safety programs of the Singapore Land Transport Authority, demonstrating their commitment to safety management. They have introduced interactive safety training that involves experience and discussion, moving away from traditional didactic safety education, and are also working to build systems that enable workers to raise their own safety awareness.

One representative safety measure is the Last Minute Risk Assessment (LMRA). This advanced system allows workers to judge their own readiness and risk level before starting work each day and decide whether to proceed. By giving workers greater decision-making authority, it aims to prevent accidents from escalating due to external factors such as supervisors, which in the past led workers to endure injuries and continue working.

Regular worker interviews are also conducted to check for any personal or site-specific safety issues, and experiential education such as safety experience centers and virtual reality (VR) safety training is actively introduced. In Korea, annual training is conducted for employees and partners at the 'Safety Academy,' a safety experience center located in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. Overseas, safety experience centers exist in Singapore, China, and Malaysia. A similar center is planned to be established in Bangladesh in the first half of next year.

This year, due to COVID-19, non-face-to-face online experiential training is being operated. The online experiential training is characterized by a mission-based format that makes it engaging. The training consists of a site experience center where participants identify risk factors and recognize the importance of risk management, an emergency experience center where they learn emergency treatment and response measures such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and a fire experience center.

Overview of the Singapore subway T307 construction site being carried out by Samsung C&T (Photo by Samsung C&T)

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