Incheon City Council Passes Standing Committee on Construction Project Smart Safety Management System Ordinance

by Park Haesook

Published 12 May.2023 13:43(KST)

A regulatory foundation has been established to prevent safety accidents at small-scale construction sites, where the proportion of elderly construction workers and fatalities from fall accidents is high.

The Incheon Metropolitan Council announced that the "Ordinance on the Smart Safety Management System for Construction Work in Incheon," proposed by Assemblywoman Shin Young-hee (National Party, Ongjin), was reviewed and approved on the 11th at the 287th extraordinary session of the Construction and Transportation Committee.

The ordinance was prepared to build a smart safety management system utilizing advanced technologies such as IoT (Internet of Things), big data, and AI (artificial intelligence), aiming to create a safe environment at construction sites.

Amid high accident and fatality rates in the construction industry and despite strengthened regulations such as the "Serious Accidents Punishment Act," this ordinance was proposed in response to calls for additional measures. It stipulates the establishment of a smart safety management system, safety management status surveys, and the formation of a safety management advisory group.

According to data released by the Ministry of Employment and Labor in December last year, out of 210 workplaces where serious accidents occurred, 136 (65%) were in the construction industry. Furthermore, analysis of industrial accident data from 2021 shows that 83% of fatal accidents in construction involved workers aged 50 and above, highlighting the serious safety issues faced by the aging workforce.

Assemblywoman Shin stated, "The introduction of a smart safety management system will serve as an important foundation to prevent accidents at construction sites and ensure the safe lives of workers and the public." She added, "I hope this ordinance will help shift away from the existing regulation and punishment-centered approach and promote a safe construction culture by adopting a safety management system that leverages advanced technologies."