Ahn Kyung-duk "Industrial Accident Prevention Starts with Top Management Leadership"
Also Sends Message That CEOs Are Subject to Punishment Under the Serious Accident Punishment Act
[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] An Kyung-duk, Minister of Employment and Labor, held a Safety and Health Leaders Meeting by calling in CEOs of construction companies for the first time since the announcement of the Serious Accident Punishment Act and its enforcement decree. Although the apparent purpose of the meeting was to request accident prevention in the second half of the year, the Ministry of Employment and Labor also conveyed the message that the safety management system must be established before the law takes effect in January next year and that the subject of legal punishment is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
On the 26th, Minister An held the Safety and Health Leaders Meeting with representatives of 10 construction companies at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Attendees included Minister An, the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, and companies such as Samsung C&T, Hyundai Engineering & Construction, GS Engineering & Construction, Daewoo Engineering & Construction, Lotte Engineering & Construction, Taeyoung Construction, DL E&C, Hyosung Heavy Industries, Doosan Engineering & Construction, and HDC Hyundai Development Company. All of these companies had fatal accidents at their sites this year.
Minister An said, "The start of industrial accident prevention is the establishment of a safety and health management system, which begins with leadership from top management," adding, "To actively respond to the government's safety and health policies, CEOs and others must directly participate in safety and health management and organize and operate corresponding organizations and budgets." A Ministry of Employment and Labor official explained, "The message conveyed was that it is natural to appoint a person responsible for safety and health, and it is also natural that the CEO bears the responsibility."
Article 2 of the law specifies that the "management responsible person, etc.," who is subject to punishment, is "a person who represents the business and has the authority and responsibility to oversee the business or a person equivalent to this who is in charge of safety and health-related tasks." Because of this, there had been confusion about whether the CEO or the safety and health officer would be punished if a fatal industrial accident occurred after the law takes effect next year, but the CEO is the subject of punishment.
At the meeting, the Ministry of Employment and Labor also presented an analysis of the investigation reports on 983 construction industry fatal accidents (with 1,016 deaths) that occurred over the past three years.
It was found that nearly half (46.5%) of the causes of fatal industrial accidents were poor safety facilities and failure to wear protective equipment. Subcontracted workers accounted for 55.8% of the fatalities, more than half. Especially in large construction sites with budgets exceeding 12 billion KRW, subcontracted workers accounted for 89.6% of the fatalities. Among the 10 companies attending the meeting, a total of 55 accidents (61 deaths) occurred, with 65.9% attributed to poor management such as inadequate work methods or planning. More than 90% of the fatalities were subcontracted workers.
Taeyoung Construction presented its safety management improvement status on the day. Earlier, in April, the Ministry of Employment and Labor had conducted supervision and diagnosis of Taeyoung Construction’s headquarters safety and health management system. Taeyoung Construction explained, "We report the quarterly safety and health goal achievement results to the board of directors and review safety and health issues monthly under the CEO’s supervision," adding, "We will improve safety evaluation criteria for new and re-registered partner companies and continue to expand safety management personnel at sites."
The Ministry of Employment and Labor plans to hold meetings by industry sectors such as shipbuilding, steel, chemical, and distribution/service in the future.
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