6 out of 10 Industrial Sites Nationwide Neglect Industrial Accident Prevention

Ministry of Employment Announces Results of 'On-Site Inspection Day' for 3 Major Safety Measures

Frequent Falls Due to Missing Safety Railings and Crush Injuries from Lack of Protective Measures

Arrest Warrant Requested for Safety and Health Manager at Samcheok Site Where 2 Workers Died

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The Ministry of Employment and Labor conducted on-site safety inspections at about 2,000 workplaces over two months and found that 6 out of 10 sites did not properly implement safety measures against industrial accidents.

The ministry announced the results of the 'Three Major Safety Measures On-Site Inspection Days' held three times in July and August. Among approximately 12,300 industrial sites nationwide, about 7,900 sites (64%) failed to follow fall and entrapment accident prevention rules and were subject to corrective actions. The three major safety measures are mandatory and include fall accident prevention, entrapment accident prevention rules, and the wearing of personal protective equipment.

The inspection revealed that the violation rate at construction sites was 67%, higher than the 58% at manufacturing sites. The rate of not wearing personal protective equipment was also higher in construction at 28.5%, compared to 10.3% in manufacturing.

It was confirmed that the risk factors revealed in fall and entrapment accidents this year were left unattended at the sites. Specifically, 47.1% of sites did not install safety railings or covers for openings to prevent falls, and 16.2% did not properly install work platforms. Consequently, 48% of accidents were caused by the lack of safety railings and opening covers, and 27% were due to poor installation of work platforms. Regarding entrapment prevention, 24.6% of sites failed to properly implement protective measures such as covers, which accounted for 31% of entrapment-related deaths.

Accordingly, the ministry announced that waste disposal businesses, roof renovation construction sites, and logging work sites will be included in the intensive crackdown on hazardous workplaces scheduled to continue until the end of next month. This is because fatal accidents in these industries increased by 112% this month compared to the same month last year. Earlier, on the 25th of last month, Kwon Gisub, Director of the Occupational Safety and Health Headquarters, warned, "During the intensive crackdown period, industrial accident deaths caused by failure to comply with the three major safety measures will be considered as a failure to implement basic safety measures despite prior guidance, and the investigation will actively use the enforcement details to prove the employer's 'intent' as much as possible."

Meanwhile, the ministry reported that it applied for an arrest warrant on the 26th of last month for the safety and health manager of a workplace in Samcheok, Gangwon Province, where two workers died from fall and entrapment accidents during this inspection. At this site, fatal industrial accidents occurred consecutively last year, including a worker being caught in a conveyor in May and a fall from a conveyor in July.

Director Kwon said, "With the enforcement of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act scheduled for January next year, we are operating the intensive crackdown period with the mindset that this is the last chance to reduce fatal accidents," adding, "It is necessary to quickly establish a safety and health management system and carefully examine risk factors at the site to proactively improve them."

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