Intensive Crackdown on Unsafe Industrial Sites... 'Zero Tolerance Investigation' for Deaths from Entrapment and Falls Without Safety Measures

Ministry of Employment to Operate 'Intensive Crackdown Period on Hazardous Sites' Until End of October
Minister Ahn Kyung-duk Chairs 'Industrial Accident Death Crisis Response TF Meeting'
"Supervision and Administrative, Judicial Measures for Violations... Full Mobilization of Capabilities in Second Half"

Minister of Employment and Labor An Kyung-duk is seen answering questions from the press after conducting a safety inspection to prevent entrapment accidents during the 'Field Inspection Day' period at a manufacturing company in Seoul on the 28th of last month. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] From now on, workplaces found violating measures to prevent entrapment and falls, as well as the principle of wearing personal protective equipment, will face a 'zero-tolerance investigation.' The government warned that it plans to mobilize all relevant agencies' capabilities to detect such workplaces by operating an 'Intensive Crackdown Period on Hazardous Sites' until the end of October.

On the morning of the 20th, the Ministry of Employment and Labor held a 'Task Force (TF) Countermeasure Meeting for Industrial Accident Fatality Crisis Response' at the Seoul Employment and Labor Office, presided over by Minister Ahn Kyung-deok. Ten regional employment and labor office chiefs nationwide, including Seoul, and regional heads of the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency attended.

At the meeting, the Ministry reviewed the results of the three 'On-site Inspection Days' conducted last month and this month and decided to strengthen inspections to prevent industrial accident fatalities such as entrapment and falls. As a result of inspecting 9,721 sites nationwide, 6,384 workplaces, accounting for 66.7%, were found by the government to have violated basic safety rules. Scenes of 'fundamental negligence' such as failure to install safety railings or workers performing tasks without wearing personal protective equipment were observed across industrial sites nationwide.

Source=Ministry of Employment and Labor

Accordingly, the Ministry of Employment and Labor decided to operate an intensive crackdown period on poorly managed safety sites from the 30th of this month to October 31. In the case of 'poorly managed safety workplaces,' administrative and judicial actions will be taken through supervision. Inspections and supervision will be repeatedly conducted until the hazardous factors at the site are completely improved. Poorly managed safety workplaces refer to those that repeatedly violated the three major safety measures (measures to prevent falls and entrapment, mandatory protective gear wearing) during On-site Inspection Days and patrol inspections or refused inspections by not complying with correction orders.

In particular, if an industrial accident fatality occurs during the intensive crackdown period due to failure to comply with the three major safety measures, the business owner will be subject to a 'zero-tolerance investigation.' Despite previous guidance, the failure to implement safety measures will be regarded as intentional by the business owner, and the investigation intensity will be increased on this basis. Since the sentencing guidelines for violations of the Industrial Safety and Health Act have been strengthened from '6 months to 1 year and 6 months' to '1 year to 2 years and 6 months' starting last month, the inspection and corrective action details will be actively used in investigations to prove the business owner's intent.

Minister Ahn emphasized at the meeting, "Considering that industrial accident fatalities have gradually increased monthly from September over the past five years, now is the golden time that will determine the success or failure of reducing fatal accidents."

Additionally, measures such as ▲unannounced supervision and actions if there is no supervisor at hazardous work sites on weekends and holidays ▲regional specialized supervision will be promoted. For example, after designating key management sectors by region such as ports and shipbuilding in the Busan area, building management in the Seoul area, and densely populated small-scale manufacturing areas in Daegu, a supervisory pool will be selected at ten times the number of workplaces of the same industry and scale, followed by prior notification and supervision.

Minister Ahn urged, "Supervise strictly according to laws and principles so that the perception that workplaces neglecting safety will inevitably be punished is established in industrial sites," and requested, "Mobilize all available resources and capabilities of the headquarters, regional employment and labor offices nationwide, and the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency."

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