168 Workers Suffocated Over 10 Years... 40% Were Construction Industry Employees

Winter Deaths Account for 38%... 68% of Them Died During Concrete Curing Work

Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Shielding Concrete Prototype Pouring Site. (Photo by Seongsin Cement)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] It has been investigated that 168 workers have died from suffocation while working over the past 10 years. Four out of ten were construction workers, and most fatal accidents occurred in winter.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on the 23rd that over the 10 years from 2011 to 2020, 316 people were injured in 195 suffocation accidents, of which 168 (53.2%) lost their lives.

Winter accidents were frequent among construction workers. In particular, many died during the curing process where heaters were used to protect and manage concrete until it hardened. By industry, the number of accidents was highest in construction (78 cases, 40%), followed by manufacturing (58 cases, 29.7%), and other businesses (35 cases, 17.9%). The number of deaths was 68 (40.5%) in construction, 52 (30.9%) in manufacturing, and 28 (16.7%) in other businesses.

Seasonal records of suffocation deaths in construction show that 26 people died in winter (December to February), accounting for 38.2% of the total. This differed from other industries where suffocation accidents frequently occurred in spring and summer. The Ministry of Employment and Labor analyzed that the increase in suffocation deaths in construction during winter was due to the concrete curing process conducted only in winter. Among 25 suffocation accidents in construction during winter, 17 cases (68%) originated from curing work.

The Ministry explained, "During the curing process, the use of lignite and charcoal generates a large amount of carbon monoxide, and since tents or similar coverings are used to prevent heat loss, ventilation is blocked, increasing the likelihood of suffocation accidents. Major cases of suffocation accidents in construction during winter involved workers entering curing spaces unprotected and being poisoned by carbon monoxide."

To prevent accidents, the Ministry emphasized that harmful gas concentrations must be measured and confirmed to be at an appropriate air quality level (concentration below 30 ppm) before work begins, and workers should wear oxygen respirators or supplied-air masks. Managers are urged to prohibit workers from entering curing work sites under any circumstances until such safety and health measures are verified. It is also important to actively introduce hot air blowers to reduce carbon monoxide emissions.

Kim Cheolhee, Director of the Industrial Safety and Health Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, urged, "Since suffocation accidents are treated not only as fatal accidents but also as representative acute poisoning under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act effective from January 27 next year, business owners and management officials should thoroughly fulfill their obligations to establish safety and health management systems to prevent such accidents."

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