Gyeonggi Province Holds "2025 Occupational Safety and Health Contest Awards Ceremony"

Gyeonggi Province Holds Occupational Safety and Health Photo and Policy Idea Contest Awards at KINTEX in Goyang City
Contest to Raise Workplace Safety Awareness Draws 166 Participants, Six Receive Certificates

On September 17, Gyeonggi Province held the "2025 Occupational Safety and Health Contest Awards Ceremony" at KINTEX in Goyang City and conducted a joint campaign in conjunction with the Korea International Safety & Security Expo and the Korea Construction Safety Expo.

Gyeonggi Province held the "2025 Occupational Safety and Health Contest Awards Ceremony" on the 17th at KINTEX in Goyang City. Provided by Gyeonggi Province

The event was attended by Kim Dae-soon, Second Vice Governor of Gyeonggi Province, officials from the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, 112 Occupational Safety Guardians from 31 cities and counties, contest winners, and representatives from participating organizations.

This event was organized to strengthen Gyeonggi Province’s capacity to prevent industrial accidents and to promote a workplace culture that prioritizes safety, as the province accounts for about 25% of the nation’s workplaces and workers. Gyeonggi Province has approximately 210,000 small-scale construction and manufacturing businesses with fewer than 50 employees-the highest number in the country-making it essential to enhance industrial accident prevention capabilities.

Each year, 50-60% of industrial accident injuries and fatalities involve incidents such as falls, entrapments, and collisions, which can be prevented simply by following basic safety rules. The province emphasized that both employers and workers must make safety practices a routine part of their daily work in order to significantly reduce industrial accidents.

Now in its second year, the contest was held in July and was open to all citizens to raise awareness of the importance of industrial safety and promote a safety culture. Out of a total of 166 entries, six works-including three photographs and three policy ideas-were selected as finalists through expert review.

The top prize in the photography category went to "With a Heart Higher Than the Fire Extinguisher." This piece symbolically depicts a fire watch standing higher than a fire extinguisher at a construction site, conveying the message that human responsibility and care are the essence of safety, surpassing even equipment.

The top prize in the policy idea category was awarded to "Strengthening Safety Measures Such as Interlocking Devices for Scissor Lift Entry Doors." This proposal suggests making interlocking devices mandatory on scissor lift entry doors to prevent fall accidents, offering a practical improvement plan. The winners received certificates and prizes from the Governor of Gyeonggi Province.

After the awards ceremony, Occupational Safety Guardians distributed promotional materials containing safety guidelines to visitors at the expo, raising awareness about the importance of following basic safety rules and creating safer workplaces.

Gyeonggi Province has implemented various policies, including designating and operating an "Occupational Safety Day," strengthening the activities of Occupational Safety Guardians, providing on-site industrial accident prevention training, and arranging visits by external experts to construction sites. As a result, the number of fatal construction accidents decreased from 116 in 2022 to 90 in 2024. However, industrial accidents of various scales still occur, and since the central government has also made this a key national agenda item, the province plans to continue strengthening its occupational safety policies moving forward.

Kim Dae-soon, Second Vice Governor of Gyeonggi Province, stated, "I hope that the winning entries and safety proposals from the field will serve as a catalyst for real change in industrial sites," adding, "We will work to create a Gyeonggi Province where all residents can work with peace of mind and in safety."

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