Unannounced Safety Inspections at 57 Seoul Public Construction Sites Show 'Good' Results

원본보기 아이콘

The Seoul Metropolitan Government conducted safety assessments at 57 public construction sites in the first half of this year and found that, on average, the sites were in good condition. The number of sites that received an excellent safety rating also increased.

The city announced on September 3 that, after conducting a total of 277 evaluations at 57 public construction sites in the first half of the year, the average safety score was 81.4 points, which is considered good.

Earlier, in January, the city became the first in the country to fully implement the "Construction Site Safety Index System." This system is designed to assess the safety level of public construction sites and predict potential accidents, using evaluation criteria developed by analyzing the causes of 25,000 major industrial accidents. It consists of seven categories and 24 detailed indicators, comprehensively evaluating not only on-site safety management but also workers' safety awareness, managers' job performance, and high-risk management capabilities, all quantified as part of the assessment.

Additionally, the number of sites that received an excellent rating increased from two in the first quarter to nine in the second quarter. A score of 90 or higher is considered excellent, indicating that participation in safety management by all members has become routine and that safety activities at the worksite are being carried out systematically. A score below 60 is considered very poor, reflecting a lack of awareness about safety management procedures, low participation from team members, and significant shortcomings in worksite safety activities. If a site scores below 40, construction is suspended or special inspections and training measures are imposed.

The highest-rated sites were identified as Section 2 (93.4 points) and Section 1 (92.8 points) of the International Exchange Complex Road Improvement Project. For sites that receive high safety scores, the city plans to exempt them from inspections so they can manage safety autonomously and will provide incentives such as commendations from the Mayor of Seoul at the end of the year, thereby maintaining ongoing motivation for safety management.

On the other hand, one site was found to be subject to sanctions for failing to meet the minimum safety score (60 points or below). The city implemented improvement measures at this site, including special inspections and training for site personnel to prevent accidents.

Going forward, the city plans to continue conducting unannounced monthly evaluations and to release the results to the public. In addition, in December, the city will strengthen the evaluation indicators and standards by incorporating operational results and expert opinions.

Ahn Daehee, Director of the Seoul Urban Infrastructure Headquarters, stated, "The Safety Index System is not just an assessment tool but a system that leads to real improvements in construction site safety and accident prevention. By December, we will enhance the evaluation indicators and operational standards to ensure that the safety of both worksites and citizens is managed as our top priority."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.