[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] A fatal accident involving a worker in his 60s occurred at Birak's Daegu factory, prompting labor authorities to investigate potential violations of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.
According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor on the 4th, at around 10:40 a.m. that day, Mr. A (60) was caught in a lift device at Birak's Daegu factory located in Dalseong-gun, Daegu, and was transported to a hospital but ultimately passed away. It is understood that Mr. A was working to move milk boxes to the washing room when the accident occurred.
Birak has more than 50 regular employees, making it subject to the Serious Accidents Punishment Act. The Ministry of Labor is investigating the exact cause of the accident while also examining whether the company violated the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and the Industrial Safety and Health Act.
Enforced since early this year, the Serious Accidents Punishment Act applies to workplaces with 50 or more regular employees (or construction projects with a contract amount of 5 billion KRW or more). If an industrial accident such as a worker's death occurs, business owners and management officials who fail to fulfill their obligations to prevent accidents can face imprisonment of one year or more, or fines of up to 1 billion KRW.
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