Safety and Health Management Responsibility Elevated to 'Mayor'... 'Closer to the Site, Heavier Responsibility'
Full Enforcement of the Serious Accident Punishment Act... Declaration of Strengthened Safety and Health Management Policy
Proactive Response with Site-Specific Safety Measures Tailored to On-Site Risk Factors
Goyang Special City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Dong-hwan) is strengthening management responsibilities starting from the public sector on the occasion of the 3rd anniversary of the enforcement of the Serious Accident Punishment Act (hereinafter referred to as the Serious Accident Punishment Act), and is making efforts to secure the safety of workers by preparing field-oriented safety measures to prevent serious industrial accidents.
Lee Dong-hwan, Mayor of Goyang Special City, is seen delivering a greeting at the '2024 Goyang Special City Safety and Health Management Officer Safety and Health Training' held on November 20th in the meeting room on the 3rd floor of Baekseok Annex. Provided by Goyang Special City
This September, Goyang Special City elevated the safety and health management officer, who must be appointed under the Industrial Safety and Health Act, from the Director of the Autonomous Administration Bureau to the Mayor of Goyang Special City. This is a strong expression of the city’s determination to foster a safety culture in the public sector, starting from the head of the institution, the mayor.
The Serious Accident Punishment Act stipulates that “if a serious industrial accident such as the death of an affiliated worker occurs and it is revealed that the employer or management officer violated the establishment of a safety and health management system, they can be punished,” and thus heads of central administrative agencies and local governments are also subject to punishment.
According to the investigation results of the collapse accident of Jeongja Bridge in Bundang, Seongnam City in April this year, it was judged that the Mayor of Seongnam City, as the management officer, did not neglect the obligation to establish and implement a safety and health management system such as necessary personnel, budget, and inspections for accident prevention, and was not directly related to the cause of the accident, resulting in a dismissal of charges.
Declaration of Goyang Special City Safety and Health Management Policy. Provided by Goyang Special City
The interest and will of the head of the institution in safety have a ripple effect strong enough to move the entire organization, so the elevation and appointment of the safety and health management officer in Goyang City this time is expected to have significant meaning and impact.
In January, the city also declared a strengthened safety and health management policy on its own as the scope of the Serious Accident Punishment Act was expanded to small and medium-sized workplaces with fewer than 50 employees.
Mayor Lee Dong-hwan of Goyang Special City emphasized, “The safety of workers (employees) should be considered the top priority and the basis of all policies. Senior public officials at grade 5 or higher, who are responsible for practical safety and health management on site, must have a sense of mission and responsibility as if they were the mayor of Goyang and do their best in safety management and accident prevention.”
According to Article 13 of the Local Autonomy Act, the city is making every effort to ensure that citizens do not experience inconvenience in traffic by newly constructing and improving roads within the jurisdiction, as well as meticulous maintenance and repairs.
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According to the 2023 road traffic volume survey by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the section of Janghang IC (National Route 77) entering Goyang City has the highest traffic volume among national routes nationwide, and correspondingly, road damage (potholes) frequently occurs. Recently, the use of de-icing agents for snow removal has increased, and road damage has also increased due to heavy rain and heavy snow caused by abnormal weather.
Road damage causes tire damage and other harm to vehicles, and avoiding damaged road sections can lead to secondary accidents, making it so dangerous that it is called a “landmine on the road.” Workers (waterway workers) belonging to the city are placed in situations where they must perform repair work on roads with many vehicles traveling at high speed to promptly restore road damage when it occurs.
The city plans to introduce a tow-type road-blocking vehicle (sign car) equipped with shock absorbers to improve the working environment of workers by referring to the operation methods of specialized companies in road repair such as Korea Expressway Corporation and Seoul Expressway Co., Ltd. The budget is being prepared to allocate one vehicle per district office in the 2025 main budget, and the city council’s review is underway.
The city is also strengthening safety education and training to prevent accidents and respond immediately to crisis situations. Experiential education including theoretical education and practice is conducted so that workers can internalize it through repeated training.
For example, during the 9/11 terrorist attack in the United States, only 13 out of about 2,700 Morgan Stanley bank employees in the building were victims, which is known to be because they naturally identified evacuation routes and learned evacuation procedures through disaster preparedness training conducted four times a year for over eight years.
On-site practical training for park maintenance workers on chainsaw use. Provided by Goyang Special City
Goyang City dispatches park managers engaged in hazardous work to the Korea Forest Service Central Association (Gangneung Training Center) for 3 nights and 4 days to complete training such as ▲ daily maintenance of chainsaws (disassembly, assembly) ▲ practical training on logging and wood transportation ▲ use of work tools and wire ropes ▲ measurement of timber volume, thereby strengthening accident prevention and safety management capabilities.
Mayor Lee Dong-hwan of Goyang Special City stated, “According to Heinrich’s Law, which analyzed industrial accident cases, a major accident is always preceded by 29 minor accidents and 300 signs. Therefore, closely observing signs of accidents around us in daily life and making efforts to detect and improve them early is the shortcut to preventing major accidents. Through continuous interest and practice, we will create a safe city where citizens can live with peace of mind and comfort.”
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