Practical Training on the Underground Safety Act
for City and County Underground Safety and Facility Managers
Improving Job Competency in Underground Safety Management Expected
Gyeonggi Province announced on the 27th that the ‘Gyeonggi Underground Safety Keepers,’ consisting of 42 underground safety experts, have completed on-site inspections of 21 underground development sites in seven cities (Yongin-si, Gwangmyeong-si, Uijeongbu-si, Paju-si, Siheung-si, Gwangmyeong-si, Hanam-si).
Gyeonggi Province conducted training on safety inspection methods for city and county underground safety officers and underground facility managers on the 26th. Provided by Gyeonggi Province
The on-site inspections were conducted from February 3 to March 7. As a result of the inspections, 71 improvement items were identified at the underground development sites. Among these, 66 items were improved, including the additional installation of safety signs in hazardous areas (such as fall risks) and the incorporation of recent rainfall data when establishing flood prevention measures. The remaining 5 items are expected to be completed by May.
The inspections aimed to prevent safety accidents such as ground subsidence and cracks caused by external forces after excavation. In response to recent climate change, the inspections were conducted one month earlier than originally planned to enhance their effectiveness.
Since 2020, the province has been implementing a policy project where the ‘Gyeonggi Underground Safety Keepers,’ composed of experts in soil, geology, and structure, provide on-site consultation to prevent ground subsidence accidents.
Meanwhile, the number of ground subsidence cases in Gyeonggi Province has been decreasing, from an annual average of 46 cases between 2018 and 2023 to 29 cases in 2024.
Additionally, from the 25th to the 26th, the province held training sessions inviting external instructors for city and county underground safety officers and underground facility managers (including water and sewage pipes, roads, utility tunnels, and underground walkways) on safety inspection methods.
More than 120 public officials from 31 cities and counties in the province attended the sessions, which covered topics such as ▲ policies for preventing ground subsidence accidents and response measures when such accidents occur ▲ effective safety inspection strategies for underground development sites ▲ sharing cases of re-negotiation requests related to underground safety evaluations. Through this, it is expected that the job competency of the responsible officials in underground safety management will improve, making Gyeonggi Province safer for its residents.
Kang Seong-seup, Director of the Gyeonggi Province Construction Bureau, stated, “As interest in underground safety is high due to ground subsidence accidents, we will conduct thorough inspections to ensure underground development projects are carried out safely. Improving the job competency of city and county officials is directly linked to the prevention of ground subsidence in the province, so we will strengthen ground subsidence prevention through this underground safety officer training.”
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