Hyundai Steel, Fatal Accident Due to Gas Leak in Dangjin... Serious Accident Punishment Act Investigation (Comprehensive)

One Worker Fatality

A worker died in an accident at Hyundai Steel's Dangjin Steelworks. The police plan to investigate whether there was a violation of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.

According to industry sources on the 13th, around 8 p.m. the previous day, a man in his 50s, identified as worker A, was found by colleagues collapsed from cardiac arrest, presumed to have been exposed to gas, at Hyundai Steel's Dangjin Steelworks in Dangjin, Chungnam. He was taken to a hospital but passed away.

Hyundai Steel Chungnam Dangjin Steelworks blast furnace view. Photo by Asia Economy DB

Worker A, in his 50s, who was inspecting mechanical equipment, is known to have gone out to the site to check external facilities of the steelmaking plant at the time of the accident.

Police investigation revealed that the accident site was a location where a gas leak had occurred last month, and it was confirmed that A was working alone.

Based on medical staff's explanation that death was due to suffocation, the police plan to request a detailed autopsy to determine the exact cause of A's death.

They also plan to investigate Hyundai Steel in detail regarding the circumstances of the accident and whether there was negligence causing death at work and violations of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.

The labor authorities are also investigating possible violations of the Industrial Safety and Health Act.