91 Roofing Construction Work-Related Deaths in 2 Years... Government Revises and Distributes Manual

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[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] It has been revealed that 91 workers have died from falls during roofing work over the past two years. The government plans to revise and distribute a manual containing accident cases and key safety rules, focusing on fragile materials such as skylights and slates.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on the 7th that it has published a revised version of the "Roofing Work Safety Manual." The revised manual includes risk factors at each work stage, accident cases and prevention measures, and related laws and regulations.

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, 91 workers died from falls while working on roofs of factories, livestock barns, and other sites between 2019 and 2020. Among them, 36 died on factory roofs, 21 during construction work, and 20 on livestock barn roofs. Accidents mainly occurred in autumn (September to November) and spring (March to May). Notably, 38 workers fell to their deaths on factory roofs up to October this year. Twelve workers died after falling from fragile roofing materials such as skylights and slates.

In response, the Ministry plans to revise the "Industrial Safety and Health Standards" regulations to mandate the installation of safety covers and guardrails along with the manual revision. The changes will be implemented immediately starting this month. Kwon Kisub, head of the Ministry’s Occupational Safety and Health Bureau, stated, "We will conduct strict investigations into roofing work fatal accidents occurring after this month’s regulation revision and hold employers heavily accountable."

Additionally, a new safety guideline notice (OPL) will be created for roofing contractors and workers, and distributed on-site in cooperation with local governments and specialized construction associations. For construction companies with fewer than 50 workers, 70% of the purchase cost for safety covers will be subsidized. Furthermore, free technical support projects will continue for small-scale construction sites with project costs under 100 million KRW. Each session will provide about 3 to 4 hours of free guidance on fall hazard mapping and risk assessment methods.

Director Kwon emphasized, "Solar power installation companies have reduced fatal accidents from 8 in 2019 to 2 last year through guardrail installation and regular safety inspections," adding, "Strict adherence to safety rules and special caution are necessary during roofing work."

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