Workplace Accident Deaths Increased by 10 in Q1 Compared to Last Year

Ministry of Employment and Labor, Fatal Accidents Subject to Disaster Investigation

Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jeong-sik is performing the national ceremony at the "Resolution Rally for Full Support in Preventing Serious Accidents in Small and Medium Enterprises" held at the Seoul Southern Branch of the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul on the 19th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

The number of industrial accident fatalities in the first quarter of this year increased by 10 (7.8%) compared to the same period last year.

According to the "First Quarter Accident Investigation Target Fatal Accident Occurrence Status" announced by the Ministry of Employment and Labor on the 29th, the number of fatal accidents subject to investigation in the first quarter was 138 people (136 cases), an increase of 10 people (7.8%) compared to the same period last year. The number of occurrences also increased by 12 cases (9.7%).

By industry, manufacturing had 31 fatalities, the same as last year, while other industries saw an increase of 11 people (34.4%). In construction, there was a decrease of 1 person (1.5%). By scale, workplaces with fewer than 50 employees saw a decrease of 1 person (1.3%), while those with 50 or more employees increased by 11 people (22.4%).

By type, collisions and being crushed or overturned decreased by 6 people (37.5%) and 1 person (9.1%) respectively compared to the same period last year, but falls (16 people), entrapments (3 people), and being struck (2 people) all increased compared to the previous year.

Regarding the increase in fatalities in the first quarter, Kim Tae-yeon, head of the Major Industrial Accident Supervision Division at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, analyzed, "This is due to the recovery trend in the economy centered on manufacturing, which is linked to increased industrial activity in related industries. In other industries, fatalities were concentrated in some vulnerable sectors with relatively insufficient safety and health improvement capabilities."

The government plans to conduct focused guidance and inspections targeting industries with frequent fatal accidents to ensure a downward trend in fatalities in the future. The Ministry of Employment and Labor stated, "We will focus on thorough guidance to ensure strict compliance with basic safety rules, especially in vulnerable industries, so that fatal accidents that can be prevented by simply following basic safety rules do not occur."

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