Already 648 Industrial Accident Deaths This Year... Managing 'Red Zones' of High Incidence Areas Over 5 Years

Labor-Management-Government 'Industrial Safety Supervision Advisory Meeting' Held on the 7th

This Year's Target of 705 Marked 'Red Light'... Added Inspection Items for Machine Collisions like Bulldozers
Strengthened Inspection and Supervision of Local Government and Public Institution Construction Projects

The scene of the accident at the Korea Zinc Onsan Smelter in Ulju-gun, Ulsan, where two workers died of suffocation on May 30. (Image source=Yonhap News)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The government announced on the 7th that it plans to strengthen management by designating regions with frequent industrial accident fatalities as 'Red Zones' for two months starting next month. The 'On-site Inspection Day,' which has been conducting nationwide surprise inspections every two weeks since July, will continue until the end of the year, with additional inspection items including collision risks involving vehicle-type construction machinery such as bulldozers. Although the government pledged to reduce industrial accident fatalities to 705 this year, 648 deaths have already occurred by the third quarter, prompting an increase in enforcement intensity through the end of the year.

On the morning of the 7th, the Ministry of Employment and Labor held an industrial safety supervision advisory meeting with labor, management, and academic experts to discuss the fourth-quarter industrial safety supervision plan and related matters.

First, the 'On-site Inspection Day,' which has been conducting nationwide inspections focusing on compliance with the three major safety measures (prevention of falls, entrapment, and wearing personal protective equipment) since July 14, will continue until the end of the year. In addition to the existing inspection items focusing on traditional risk factors, collision risks caused by vehicle-type construction machinery, which have recently caused frequent accidents, will be added. If a worker dies after failing to comply with the three major safety measures and is struck by construction machinery such as a bulldozer, the government will take administrative and judicial actions.

Inspection and supervision schedule related to major industrial accident fatalities. (Source: Ministry of Employment and Labor)

After the 'Intensive Crackdown Period,' which has been in effect from August 30 to this month’s 30th, the government will select and manage industrial accident fatality 'Red Zones' for two months from next month until the end of the year. Only regions with frequent fatal accidents over the past five years will be separately managed. During this period, inspections and supervision will be conducted considering the industries with frequent fatalities, business size, and risk factors by region.

Furthermore, since the number of fatal accidents at construction sites ordered by local governments and public institutions has increased by about 20 compared to the previous year, inspections and supervision will be increased accordingly. From next month until the end of the year, local governments will conduct joint inspections focusing on construction projects under 5 billion KRW with frequent fatalities, utilizing regional safety and health councils. Public institutions will inspect and supervise all ordered construction projects regardless of size, including recent fatal accidents at railway construction sites.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor will continue to apply the existing principle of repeatedly conducting inspections, supervision, and administrative and judicial actions on poor workplaces that do not comply with corrective measures until risk factors are improved.

Meanwhile, at the meeting, it was decided to establish a system to improve the supervision system by regularly holding meetings to review the annual supervision plan and implementation status. The government expects that regularly convening the advisory meetings will add field perspectives to government policies, creating a synergy effect in industrial accident prevention. Kwon Kisub, Director of the Industrial Safety and Health Headquarters, stated, "Constructive advice from the meeting will be fully reflected in policies and supervision plans to ensure thorough establishment of companies' autonomous safety management systems."

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