Two Workers Die Due to Violation of Basic Safety Rules... Employer Arrested

On June 30th at around 10:35 AM, firefighters are seen extinguishing a fire at a new slaughterhouse construction site in Taein-myeon, Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do. (Image source=Yonhap News)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The owner of a business where two workers died due to failure to follow basic safety rules at an industrial site has been arrested.

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor on the 8th, the Jeonju branch of the Ministry announced that it had arrested Mr. B, the owner of construction company A, on charges of violating the Industrial Safety and Health Act.

Mr. B is accused of allowing welding work to be carried out without removing fuel vapor inside a fuel tank at a new construction site in Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do, on June 30, which caused a fire and explosion, resulting in two workers suffering burns and dying while undergoing treatment.

Jo Jung-ik, head of the Industrial Accident Prevention Guidance Division at the Jeonju branch, said, "If only common-sense and very basic safety measures had been implemented, the precious lives of the two workers could have been saved," adding, "Mr. B was arrested and is under investigation to prevent similar cases from recurring."

Earlier, the Taebaek branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor had applied for an arrest warrant on the 26th of last month for the safety and health manager of factory C in Samcheok-si, Gangwon-do, where two workers died in consecutive fall and entrapment accidents.

Kwon Ki-seop, head of the Industrial Safety and Health Headquarters at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, stated, "Business owners who cause worker fatalities by violating basic safety measures will continue to be subject to arrest and investigation as a principle, and we will respond strictly through intensive investigations."

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