Caught and Fallen to Death While Working... Ministry of Employment Conducts Mass Inspection of 1,800 People

Hyundai Heavy Industries Fall Death... Three Days Earlier, Hanil Cement Crushing Accident
1800 People Deployed to Inspect On-Site Safety Management

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The government has decided to deploy about 1,800 personnel to specifically inspect construction and manufacturing industries for various risks of entrapment and falls. This is because accidents involving falls and entrapment at industrial sites have not been decreasing. On the very day the government announced the plan, a serious accident occurred in the construction and manufacturing sectors, resulting in a fatal fall.

On the 13th, the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced that starting this month, it will designate a "Site Inspection Day" every two weeks each month, during which about 1,800 industrial safety and health inspectors and Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency personnel will conduct nationwide simultaneous inspections related to entrapment and fall accidents at industrial sites. This month, after notifying workplaces on the 14th and 28th, the first inspections will be carried out. From next month, inspections will be conducted twice a month without separate prior notice. It is unusual for the Ministry of Employment and Labor to deploy nearly 2,000 personnel at once for supervision of specific industries.

The inspection targets are workplaces in the construction and manufacturing industries, where fatal accidents frequently occur. Among the 882 deaths caused by industrial accidents last year, 458 (51.9%) were in construction, and 201 (22.8%) were manufacturing workers. Falls are frequent in construction, while entrapment accidents are common in manufacturing.

On the first inspection day, the 14th, measures to prevent fall accidents at construction sites nationwide will be examined. Fall accidents mainly occur on scaffolding (temporary work platforms at construction sites), exterior wall work, roof installation, stairs, and ladders. Inspectors will focus on whether ▲ safety railings, work platforms, and fall protection nets are properly installed ▲ workers wear safety ropes or lifelines in addition to work ropes ▲ safety helmets and other protective gear are properly provided and worn.

On the second inspection day, the 28th, inspectors will check for entrapment risk factors at manufacturing workplaces. Entrapment accidents mainly occur during maintenance and repair of hazardous machinery. Inspectors will check whether ▲ safety devices such as covers to prevent entrapment on motors and rotating shafts are properly installed ▲ machines are stopped and powered off during maintenance and repair work ▲ forklift operators hold appropriate licenses.

The government plans to demand corrections for any safety deficiencies found during inspections and will also take administrative and judicial actions if safety management conditions are found to be seriously inadequate.

Kwon Gisub, head of the Industrial Safety and Health Headquarters at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, said, “This is intended to go beyond simple site guidance and supervision to change awareness and behavior regarding industrial accident prevention at workplaces.”

Before and after the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s announcement of the simultaneous inspections, two workers in the manufacturing sector died in separate fall and entrapment accidents. At around 5:30 a.m. on the 12th, subcontractor worker Jeong Mo at Hyundai Heavy Industries fell 25 meters while replacing steel slate on a factory roof. On the 10th, a subcontractor worker at Hanil Cement’s Gongju plant died after his head was caught when a stopped cement bag loader unexpectedly started operating during maintenance.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor believes that the accidents could have been prevented if the equipment had remained powered off during maintenance and plans to investigate the safety measures taken by the employers and safety managers.

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