Ministry of Employment Supervises Entire Food Subsidiaries of SPC Group... "Drastic Measures"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced that it will conduct a strong planned inspection on industrial safety and health targeting all food subsidiaries of the SPC Group. This is interpreted as an extraordinary measure following a series of industrial accidents at SPC Group subsidiaries.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on the 23rd that from the 24th, it will carry out a one-week nationwide planned inspection on industrial safety and health targeting SPC food and raw material subsidiaries. The ministry explained, "This is an extraordinary measure in response to the consecutive industrial accidents at SPC affiliated workplaces." Earlier, on the 15th, a person in their 20s died after being caught in a sauce mixer at the SPL Pyeongtaek factory, and on the 23rd, a person in their 40s was injured when their finger was caught in a machine at the Seongnam Shani bakery factory, with accidents occurring one after another.

The ministry plans to inspect and guide improvements not only on the risk factors at SPC subsidiaries' sites but also on structural causes such as the safety and health management system. The subsidiaries subject to inspection include PC Samlip, Paris Croissant, BR Korea, Shani, Honam Shani, S Farm, Seolmokjang, Sand Farm, Hojin Jirisan Bocheon, Ocean View Farm, SPL, and SPC Pack.

In addition, the ministry plans to conduct surprise inspections targeting 135,000 workplaces nationwide that possess dangerous machines or equipment such as food mixers, not only SPC. Workplaces found violating regulations may be subject to strong administrative measures such as correction orders or business suspension orders. Intensive crackdowns will continue for six weeks from the 24th to December 2nd.

From 2017 to last year, over the past five years, 305 industrial accident victims were recorded at workplaces using machines such as food mixers. Among them, six died, including five in manufacturing and one in agriculture. Notably, four of the five manufacturing fatalities lost their lives in entrapment accidents similar to those at SPC subsidiaries.

For small workplaces with fewer than 50 employees, the ministry plans to induce effective improvements through cost support for safety measure enhancements. The ‘Safety and Health Management System Establishment and Implementation Consulting’ currently being conducted for about 2,000 manufacturing companies with fewer than 300 employees this year will be expanded about fivefold next year to approximately 10,000 workplaces, including manufacturing companies with fewer than 50 employees.

Minister of Employment and Labor Jeong-sik Lee emphasized, "The larger the company, the more it should have the capability to prevent accidents effectively by itself, but accidents that could be prevented with just a little more attention continue to occur," adding, "Worker deaths are unacceptable in our society."

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