76 Foreign Workers Died This Year... Government Announces "Unannounced Inspections"

76 People from January to August, 21 More Than the Previous Year

Ministry of Employment and Labor and Safety Corporation Deploy Over 1,600 for Surprise Inspections

The site of the industrial accident fatality at Hyundai Heavy Industries Ulsan Shipyard. (Image source=Yonhap News)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] It has been revealed that 76 foreign workers died while working this year. This is more than 20 people increase compared to last year. The government announced that it is conducting unannounced inspections focusing on workplaces with industrial accident occurrences involving foreign workers by deploying over 1,600 personnel, including industrial safety and health inspectors.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on the 29th that it will implement the first "On-site Inspection Day" following the Cabinet meeting resolution on the Enforcement Decree of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act. Since July 14, every other Wednesday, the government simultaneously checks compliance with the three major safety measures at industrial sites. The three major measures refer to fall and entrapment accident prevention measures and the wearing of personal protective equipment.

About 1,600 personnel, including industrial safety and health inspectors from the Ministry of Employment and Labor nationwide and staff from the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, will be deployed for this inspection. They will examine workplaces in regions such as Hwaseong, Changwon, Cheongju, Seo-gu Incheon, and Yongin, where many industrial accident deaths occurred over the five years from 2016 to 2020. To prevent fall and entrapment deaths among foreign workers, unannounced inspections will also be conducted at manufacturing and construction workplaces employing foreign workers.

Source=Ministry of Employment and Labor

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, 76 foreign workers have died while working this year. Fall accidents accounted for the highest number with 33 cases, followed by entrapment accidents with 15 cases, and other causes with 28 cases. This is an increase of 21 compared to 55 deaths from January to August last year. By year, 114 died in 2018, 104 in 2019, and 94 last year.

Kwon Gisub, Director of the Industrial Safety and Health Headquarters at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, emphasized, "From the current point when the Enforcement Decree of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, which will be enforced on January 27 next year, passed the Cabinet meeting, all business managers nationwide must promptly establish a system to systematically manage the obligation to ensure safety and health and must verify and supplement whether the system is functioning properly on their own."

Director Kwon said, "Going forward, we plan to respond efficiently to enhance effectiveness by analyzing the characteristics of workplaces where industrial accident deaths occur and dividing inspection and supervision methods and timing based on regions and industries. Since the spread of COVID-19 is concerning, workplaces must actively prepare necessary measures to protect workers' health."