Minister of Employment and Labor: "Work stoppage in case of serious accidents... Directing primary contractors on safety measures is not illegal dispatch"

Kang Kyung-duk Chairs Industrial Accident Death Crisis Response TF Meeting
"Strict Measures According to Law and Principles for Workplaces with Serious Accidents"

Minister of Employment and Labor An Kyung-duk (far right) inspecting the actual conditions of industrial safety accident disasters. (Image source=Yonhap News)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] From now on, workplaces where serious accidents such as worker deaths occur must mandatorily suspend operations. The suspension can only be lifted when safety is confirmed by experts or others. The government also plans to actively inform that when a prime contractor gives work instructions to subcontracted workers as part of safety or health measures, it does not constitute a violation of the Dispatch Act.

Employment and Labor Minister An Kyung-duk presided over the "Industrial Accident Death Crisis Response Task Force (TF) Meeting" held at the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office in the afternoon, attended by all regional offices. Minister An stated, "Despite the April Pyeongtaek Port accident, industrial accident deaths continue to occur," and expressed concern, saying, "Recently, the President has repeatedly emphasized industrial safety and is making all-out efforts, but industrial accident deaths have not decreased as much as expected."

He added, "As the minister responsible for industrial accident prevention, I feel very regretful," and emphasized, "While ensuring that the industrial accident death countermeasures announced earlier this year are effectively implemented, a safety-first mindset and practices must be established in industrial sites."

He announced that workplaces with poor safety management or where serious accidents occur will be strictly dealt with according to laws and principles. Minister An said, "Especially, workplaces where serious accidents have occurred must suspend operations, and the suspension will only be lifted when safety is confirmed by worker representatives, experts, or others."

For workplaces where fatal accidents repeatedly occur despite supervision, the focus will be on establishing a safety and health management system, and special inspections including headquarters will be conducted along with orders to establish safety and health improvement plans. Additionally, comprehensive inspections will be carried out on the three major safety measures: fall prevention, entrapment prevention, and wearing protective equipment. Repeated supervision and strict administrative and judicial actions will be taken until risk factors are improved.

However, he said, "To fundamentally reduce fatal accidents, both employers and workers must support safety-first work practices and safety awareness," and added, "We will conduct field-centered campaigns." In this regard, he urged, "Supervisors and workers at construction sites should conduct a 'pre-work safety meeting' for at least 10 minutes before work to check risk factors and protective equipment to prevent fall accidents."

Furthermore, he stated, "We will actively guide and supervise prime contractors to fulfill their safety management responsibilities under the Industrial Safety and Health Act for subcontracted workers."

Minister An said, "If workers' lives and safety are not considered the top priority in industrial sites, it will be difficult to reduce industrial accident deaths," and added, "The government will also do its best to promote industrial accident prevention activities so that all workers can work safely."

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