Worker Dies After Falling from 6.6m Platform Without Railings... Employer Receives Suspended Sentence

A man in his 60s who caused the death of a worker by forcing him to work on a high-rise platform without safety railings has received a suspended prison sentence.

Exterior view of Gwangju District Court.

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On April 14, Judge Jeon Heesook of the Gwangju District Court Criminal Division 9 announced that Mr. A (61), who was indicted on charges of occupational negligence resulting in death and violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for one year.

Mr. A was brought to trial for instructing work without proper safety measures at an apartment complex in Naju, South Jeolla Province, at around 3:06 p.m. on August 13, 2024, resulting in the death of a worker in his 60s, Mr. B, who fell from a height.

At the time, Mr. A had just completed a contracted job to remove pigeon droppings at the apartment and then instructed Mr. B to remove cobwebs at the main entrance of the apartment, a task not included in the original work plan. Mr. B boarded an aerial work platform at a height of 6.6 meters, but the platform's side safety railings had been arbitrarily removed. Eventually, Mr. B lost his footing during the work and fell to the ground, dying on the same day.

The court stated, "As the employer, the defendant violated his duty of care to take necessary safety precautions to prevent industrial accidents, resulting in the irreversible tragedy of a worker's death."

However, the court explained the sentencing decision by saying, "The circumstances leading up to the incident warrant some consideration, and a satisfactory settlement was reached with the victim's family. These factors were taken into account in determining the sentence."

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