Excavation Site Safety Management System to Be Strengthened

Revamping the Safety and Health Management Guide and Detailing the Safety Management Plan

The safety management system at on-site cultural heritage excavation sites will be further strengthened. On the 26th, the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Korea Cultural Heritage Association announced that they will create and implement an 'Excavation Safety and Health Management System' to protect the safety of investigators and local residents, reflecting opinions from last month's public hearing on excavation safety management. The safety and health management guide used at excavation sites will be revised, and the safety management plan items will be subdivided. Safety education will also be conducted for investigators.

The safety and health management guide will include response guidelines for infectious disease outbreaks such as COVID-19 and information on preventing cerebrovascular and musculoskeletal diseases, which are common among elderly workers. It will also contain detailed safety management items for each process and procedures for responding to and reporting safety accidents. The requirements for the safety management plan submitted during the excavation application process will become stricter. Previously, brief information on excavation and equipment use was required. Going forward, detailed descriptions of nearby structures and buried objects, access control, and safety zone plans must be included. The newly implemented safety education will focus on on-site safety management and first aid. An official stated, "It is planned to be conducted by the Korea Cultural Heritage Association on a consignment basis."