Collapsed during work, brain dead... Company says "We have to wait," families outraged

Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries Partner Company Worker Faints During 'Power Work'

Hospital Transfer Reveals Prognosis of 'Severe Brain Damage' and Expected Death

Company States "Labor Office Investigation Underway... Apologize to Family"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Jin-hyung] The "Serious Accident Punishment Act," a policy that aims to promote worker safety by assessing the adequacy of a company's preventive efforts when an accident occurs in the industrial field and assigning responsibility for the results, will mark its first anniversary on the 27th. However, workplace safety accidents among workers still persist in many places.

Recently, a worker at a subcontractor of Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries collapsed during work and was diagnosed brain dead. The family of the fallen worker is expressing outrage, claiming that the company has been consistently indifferent.

On the 12th, worker A (60) collapsed during work at the Taeyoung S&C plant, a subcontractor of Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries located in Yeongam, Jeonnam, and was transported to the hospital.
[Photo by A's family]

On the morning of the 12th at around 10:13 AM, Mr. A, a grinder worker at a ship painting specialized construction company in Jeonnam region, lost consciousness and collapsed while working on an LPG carrier ship.

Mr. A was working in a two-person team performing power sanding to smooth the ship's surface inside the "Compressor Room," where a machine controlling gas pressure is installed.

This task generates a lot of dust, so workers wear a dustproof mask and an additional face-covering equipment called "myeon." Because breathing is difficult with these two layers covering the face, an "airline" supplying air is connected to the "myeon."

According to insiders, it is difficult to endure even 1 to 2 minutes without relying on the "airline."

Mr. B, who was working with Mr. A at the time, discovered Mr. A collapsed while removing and checking the equipment due to sudden breathing difficulties.

Mr. A was transported by an ambulance operated by the safety department to a nearby hospital, where he was diagnosed with cardiac arrest of unspecified cause due to hypoxic brain injury. After cardiopulmonary resuscitation, spontaneous circulation was restored, and he is currently receiving respiratory treatment. However, doctors have indicated that death is expected due to severe brain damage.

After the accident, Mr. A's family expressed anger, stating that the company has been consistently uncooperative.

Mr. A's son said, "The CEO showed a lukewarm attitude, avoiding calls from the family even though a serious accident occurred at the workplace," and added, "During a meeting at the hospital on the 16th, he arrogantly said, 'You have nothing to lose, so report to the media as you please,' showing a reckless attitude."

He continued, "The company claims that my father’s illness might have been the cause, but my father was healthy without any chronic diseases and went to work normally that day," and lamented, "Seeing them talk about illness in front of an employee who was injured while working for the company seems like they are just trying to evade responsibility."

He also claimed, "It took an hour from the accident to arrival at the hospital, and the initial response seems inadequate."

He added, "My healthy father is suddenly lying in the intensive care unit, and I am heartbroken," and expressed hope that "a thorough investigation will clearly determine responsibility."

In response, the company CEO stated, "Although the Labor Office is currently investigating, we apologize to the family for this unfortunate incident," and explained, "We are discussing what support the company can provide at this time."

The Mokpo branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor is conducting an investigation into this accident.

Meanwhile, this company employs about 70 workers. The Serious Accident Punishment Act stipulates that if an industrial accident such as a worker’s death occurs at a workplace with 50 or more regular employees (or construction sites with a project amount exceeding 5 billion KRW), the employer or management responsible for failing to fulfill accident prevention duties can be sentenced to imprisonment for more than one year or fined up to 1 billion KRW.