Korea Industrial Complex Corporation Launches Comprehensive Safety Support Project at Noksan Industrial Complex in Busan
Korean Language Safety and On-Site Training Provided for Foreign Workers
Improving Workers' Personal Lifestyles... Comprehensive Support for Food, Clothing, and Shelter
"It's dangerous, it's dangerous!"
These days, this phrase has become a catchphrase among foreign workers at Jonghap Polstar, a factory located in the Noksan Industrial Complex in Busan. Since the recent launch of Korean language safety training for foreign workers, it has become natural for workers to recognize and warn of real dangers in the workplace.
On June 17, at the site, Jonghap Polstar Noksan Plant Production Management Manager Sung Seunghyun explained, "This isn't something they say just for fun?they understand exactly what it means." He added, "In the welding area, workers sometimes jokingly tap each other and say, 'There's a fire.'" He continued, "You don't need grand methods to raise safety awareness. In the past, language barriers meant that even when minor issues occurred, workers often avoided the area instead of informing managers. Ultimately, the most important thing in reducing accidents is to notify those around you without hesitation when a problem arises."
This change is thanks to the 'Hi-FIVE Safety Project,' organized by the Busan Industrial Complex Integrated Safety Management Support Council. This project is a comprehensive safety management package being promoted by 12 public and private organizations, aiming to create a practical safety accident prevention culture in Busan's industrial complexes, where there are many foreign workers. Led by the Busan Regional Headquarters of the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation, the project brings together the National Fire Agency, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, Korea Environment Corporation, Korea Gas Safety Corporation, Korea Electrical Safety Corporation, local medical institutions, and companies.
Noksan National Industrial Complex, located in western Busan, is a hub for shipbuilding, machinery, and automobile parts industries, with over 2,100 small and medium-sized enterprises concentrated in the area. Among industrial complexes in the Busan area, it is the core manufacturing base in terms of both production scale and number of workers. In particular, the proportion of foreign workers here is the highest among non-metropolitan industrial complexes nationwide.
Meanwhile, nationwide, foreign workers account for only about 3.2% of all employees, but the proportion of fatal industrial accidents involving foreign workers was 9.7% in 2022, 10.5% in 2023, and 11.2% in the first quarter of 2024, increasing every year. The fatal accident rate for foreign workers is more than three times higher than that for domestic workers, leading to growing calls for systematic safety measures for foreign workers.
Against this backdrop, the Hi-FIVE project was launched to move away from one-way distribution of instruction manuals and instead focus on lowering language barriers and encouraging real behavioral change. Leaders are selected by nationality and trained in key phrases such as "Fire!", "Help me!", and "Stop work!" These leaders then return to their workplaces and pass on the training to their colleagues.
Subakyo Pendi (24), working at Jonghap Polstar, is conducting safety training for colleagues. Korea Industrial Complex Corporation
Park Mingyu, a supervisor at Jonghap Polstar, said, "During accident drills, I was impressed to see foreign employees be the first to say things like 'Fire!' or 'There's been an accident.' The atmosphere on site has become much more relaxed, and now we even exchange jokes with the managers."
The Hi-FIVE project goes beyond simple safety training, expanding its scope to cover all aspects of foreign workers' lives, including food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, and culture. Practical support includes workwear purchase vouchers, health checkups, basic communication training, and VR experiences. A Korea Industrial Complex Corporation official explained, "It's important to take an approach that raises safety awareness by including daily habits both inside and outside the workplace."
Starting in the second half of the year, the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation plans to sequentially expand health checkups, safety campaigns, and cultural events for foreign workers. In partnership with local medical institutions such as Gabeul Noksan Hospital, they will support basic health checkups, including blood tests. In cooperation with the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency and others, they will also conduct on-site campaigns with accident response training and safety experience booths. In addition, through cultural exchange programs such as friendly sports days, they aim to help foreign workers settle in the region and foster social communication.
[Asia Economy·Korea Industrial Complex Corporation Joint Project]
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