[Column] K-Shipbuilding in a Prolonged Boom, but 'Safety Accidents' Remain an Obstacle

Lee Sangkil, Director of Shipbuilding Accident Prevention Center, Busan Regional Headquarters, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency

This year, K-Shipbuilding is expected to see a continued improvement in profitability, as the share of sales from eco-friendly and high-value vessels such as LNG carriers is projected to increase due to global climate change.

There are also growing voices anticipating a shipbuilding supercycle, reminiscent of the industry's boom period in 2007.

However, there is an urgent issue that K-Shipbuilding, now entering a supercycle, must address: worker safety accidents. In the first half of this year, 16 people died in the shipbuilding industry, which is twice as many as the same period last year. Most of these fatal accidents occurred at subcontractors with poor safety management, and two of the victims were foreign workers.

The sharp rise in fatal accidents in the shipbuilding industry this year is attributed to the loss of long-experienced field workers.

During the boom in 2014, the domestic shipbuilding workforce numbered around 200,000, but as of 2024, it has shrunk by half to about 100,000. During the downturn, shipbuilding workers sought jobs at other construction sites, such as semiconductor plants.

Even though the shipbuilding market has improved, those who left have not returned to the shipyards, and the resulting labor shortage is being filled by foreign workers. Currently, foreign workers make up about 20% of the workforce, and this proportion is expected to continue rising.

Another issue is production delays due to the loss of skilled workers. Newly hired foreign workers face communication barriers and lack job proficiency, which causes production delays. The aging of existing shipyard workers is also reducing productivity. Therefore, it is time to make efforts to stabilize productivity for safety and reduce workplace accidents.

Considering these circumstances, the following proposals are made to reduce accidents and transform shipyards into safer workplaces.

Shipyards are highly dependent on subcontractors. Subcontractors use facilities provided by the main contractor and supply labor to processes determined by the main contractor, which exposes them to a higher risk of industrial accidents. Therefore, it seems necessary for main contractors to provide greater support for subcontractors, such as helping them build safety and health systems, supplying safe facilities and equipment, and offering substantial training support.

Additionally, urgent safety measures are needed for the growing number of foreign workers, which is increasing by 5,000 each year until 2025. To ensure smooth communication, interpreters and translation devices should be deployed, safety rules and signs should be provided in workers' native languages, and hands-on safety training should be offered to raise awareness of workplace hazards.

According to a recent analysis by the authority of “Shipbuilding Industry Accident Investigation Reports over the Past Five Years,” about 70% of accidents occurred without witnesses. This means that the golden time for emergency rescue is often missed, posing a greater threat to workers' lives. To eliminate safety blind spots and efficiently manage the complex risks present in various shipyard yards, the introduction of smart safety devices is also needed.

K-Shipbuilding is now reliving its past glory with an unprecedented boom. However, unless the industry's fundamental safety practices are improved and a safety-first culture is firmly established, there are concerns that safety accidents could become a stumbling block to regaining its former glory.