Ghana Nationality Worker Crushed to Death by Container, "Reviewing Application of Serious Injury Law"
Accident Occurs at Auto Dismantling Yard in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do
Workplace with 5 or More Regular Employees
A man in his 50s of Ghanaian nationality died after being crushed by a container at a scrapyard in Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province.
Mr. A was reportedly lifting a cargo container with a forklift after detaching it during the process of scrapping a cargo truck around 10 a.m. on the 8th, when the container fell and caused the accident. Mr. A was transported to the hospital in cardiac arrest but ultimately passed away. The business site where the accident occurred employs more than five regular workers and is subject to the Serious Accident Punishment Act.
The labor authorities have issued a work stoppage order at the site and are reviewing whether the Serious Accident Punishment Act applies. The police are investigating the circumstances of the accident, including whether safety regulations were properly followed, by questioning witnesses.
Meanwhile, the Serious Accident Punishment Act mandates that if an employer or management official violates their duties resulting in a worker’s death or a serious accident, they may face imprisonment of one year or more, or a fine of up to 1 billion KRW. Since its enforcement on January 27, 2022, workplaces with '5 to fewer than 50 employees' and construction sites with 'less than 5 billion KRW in contract value' were excluded from the law’s application. However, as of January 27 this year, the two-year grace period expired, and these workplaces are now subject to enforcement.
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Accordingly, industries prone to frequent incidents and accidents, such as construction, manufacturing, and small businesses, continue to resist the expansion of the Serious Accident Punishment Act, citing excessive burdens on employers. They argue that they lack the capacity to respond to safety management and that penalties could force them to close their businesses. According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s investigation, since the enforcement of the Serious Accident Punishment Act in 2022, only one case resulted in a prison sentence for legal violations as of the end of last year.
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