KOSHA and Hankyong National University Promote New Safety and Health Course for Prospective Industrial Workforce

From next year, industrial safety and health education will be introduced into vocational training courses conducted for approximately 870,000 prospective industrial workers preparing for employment.

The Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency and Korea University of Technology and Education (KOREATECH) signed a business agreement on the 21st at KOREATECH in Cheonan to establish a safety and health subject in vocational training courses conducted by over 3,500 vocational training institutions.

The establishment of the safety and health subject is a collaborative project promoted by the two institutions to reduce industrial accident injuries among inexperienced workers in various industrial sites, working environments, and corporate cultures.

An Jong-ju, Chairman of the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (left), and Yoo Gil-sang, President of Korea University of Technology and Education, are taking a commemorative photo after signing the agreement.

As of last year, new employees with less than six months of service accounted for 53.7% (57,528) of the total 107,214 accident injuries and 60.4% (528) of the 874 accident fatalities.

To prevent this, the two institutions have been jointly working since February to prepare NCS (National Competency Standards) job-specific education organization standards, produce and distribute four types of standard textbooks and educational content.

Additionally, to provide demand-oriented customized industrial safety and health education, they plan to operate a safety and health education introduction guideline enhancement based on job-specific risk analysis and a training course to strengthen the capabilities of training instructors.

Director Ahn Jong-ju of the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency said, “This agreement has laid the foundation to reduce industrial accident injuries among new workers,” adding, “We will achieve the valuable outcome of workplace safety being the public’s peace of mind through thorough implementation.”