On November 24 last year, at a rally organized by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions in front of the Democratic Party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, portraits of 99 workers who died from industrial accidents were placed to urge the enactment of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on the 6th that it has launched an intensive inspection of Samgang S&C, a ship block manufacturing company where two worker fatalities have occurred this year, to investigate the causes of the accidents.
Samgang S&C experienced a fatal accident on March 30th when a worker was struck by a falling object weighing 10 kg while working on a structure 45 meters high. Then, on the 30th of last month, another worker was crushed to death by a 45-ton structure.
The Ministry explained that shipbuilding workers often work at heights, making them vulnerable to falls or being crushed by heavy objects. However, safety management tends to decline when subcontracting is involved.
The Tongyeong branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor plans to deploy six teams from today until the 14th to conduct an intensive inspection to determine whether there have been any violations of the Industrial Safety and Health Act. They will also check whether a proper safety management system is in place.
The Ministry stated, "For any legal violations, strict administrative and judicial measures will be taken in accordance with the Industrial Safety and Health Supervisors' Work Regulations and related laws."
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