Seodaemun-gu Implements 'Serious Accident ZERO' Starting from Public Construction Sites

Published 07 Mar.2024 14:55(KST)

Seodaemun-gu (Mayor Lee Seongheon) announced on the 7th that it has formed a Safety and Health Council to prevent industrial accidents and serious accidents at complex construction sites managed by the district and has started its operation this month.

The council includes Seodaemun-gu safety managers and health managers who directly participate to guide and manage safety and health matters throughout the entire process of complex construction projects commissioned by the district, from the planning stage to design, construction, and completion.

This distinguishes it from typical safety and health councils composed only of responsible personnel and subcontractor representatives.

The safety management target of the ‘Seodaemun-gu Safety Council’ is public construction sites involving new construction or remodeling with complex processes including architecture, electrical, firefighting, and telecommunications.

The Disaster Safety Division’s Serious Accident Team of the district office visits construction sites together with the commissioning department personnel, the Architecture and Public Facilities Team, and construction (design) companies.

The main activities include ▲consultation on fulfilling safety and health obligations by contractors and commissioning departments ▲guidance and advice according to the Industrial Safety and Health Act and the Serious Accident Punishment Act ▲collecting opinions from construction companies and guiding mandatory requirements ▲occasional safety education, among others.

By thoroughly managing compliance with related legal obligations, the district prevents industrial accidents among construction site workers.

Meanwhile, in January last year, the district established the Disaster Safety Division’s Serious Accident Team as a dedicated organization for worker safety and health management and citizen disaster facility safety management.

Based on this, the district has been promoting various activities to prevent serious accidents, including ▲safety and health education for over 1,100 workers ▲safety inspections of 43 major citizen disaster facilities ▲semiannual emergency drills in preparation for industrial accidents ▲risk assessments of 59 facilities including workplaces of field workers.

In particular, the district was recognized for its achievements in substantially improving harmful and dangerous factors through proactive risk assessments last year, and the district safety manager received a commendation from the Minister of Employment and Labor.

Lee Seongheon, Mayor of Seodaemun-gu, said, “Safety is not a choice but a necessity for all of us,” and added, “We will do our best to protect the lives and health of both workers and citizens.”