First Local Government to Introduce 'Industrial Safety Keeper'...
Customized Safety Inspections for Small Businesses
Mayor Jung Myunggeun: "We Will Mobilize All Administrative Resources to Prevent Even a Single Accident"
Hwaseong City in Gyeonggi Province has launched a comprehensive effort to strengthen on-site safety management in order to eradicate fatal accidents at industrial sites. This initiative reflects the city’s determination not to repeat disasters such as the Aricell factory fire in the Jeongok Industrial Complex in Seosin-myeon in June of last year.
According to Hwaseong City on June 28, the city held a "Safety Measures Implementation Status Review Meeting" presided over by First Deputy Mayor Jung Guwon. This meeting was a follow-up to the "Safety and Security Inspection Meeting" held on June 5, presided over by President Lee Jaemyung. During the meeting, the city reviewed the operational status and strategies to enhance the effectiveness of the "Industrial Safety Keeper" and "Labor Safety Keeper" programs.
In addition, with the full summer season approaching, the city focused on several key issues: response measures for natural disasters such as storms and heatwaves; management plans for high-risk areas including steep slopes, landslide-prone zones, and underpass flooding sections; and countermeasures for ground subsidence and suicide prevention.
At the inaugural ceremony of the 'Industrial Safety Keeper,' newly established in March by Hwaseong City as the first among local governments nationwide, Mayor Jung Myunggeun and other attendees pledged their commitment to preventing accidents at industrial sites. Provided by Hwaseong City
The "Industrial Safety Keeper" program is a system newly established by the city in March, with an investment of approximately 1.3 billion won from the municipal budget, making Hwaseong the first among basic local governments nationwide to do so. The program consists of ten teams, each made up of three members, who conduct customized safety inspections and consulting for small manufacturing businesses with fewer than 50 employees in the district. These inspections are specialized by category, including fire safety, electrical hazards, and hazardous materials.
The city has set a goal of conducting more than 5,130 inspections annually. In particular, the city aims to differentiate its approach from traditional inspections by not only providing basic guidance but also offering safety education and on-site, hands-on support, thereby increasing effectiveness. To this end, Hwaseong City has established an "Industrial Safety Headquarters" within the Hwaseong Industry Promotion Agency and has also created a dedicated base of operations for the Industrial Safety Keeper program.
A labor safety guardian from Hwaseong City is inspecting the safety management status at a manufacturing site in the district. Photo by Hwaseong City
The "Labor Safety Keeper" program, which was previously operated at the Gyeonggi Province level, has also been expanded. The number of safety keepers has increased from six last year to eight this year, organized into four teams of two members each, focusing on intensive inspections of small-scale construction sites. The Labor Safety Keepers also conduct targeted guidance activities addressing seasonal risk factors such as extreme heat and vulnerable work processes, in addition to running campaigns and joint inspections to promote a culture of safety.
Jung Myunggeun, Mayor of Hwaseong City, stated, "The lives and safety of workers are absolute values that cannot be exchanged for anything and are a social responsibility that must be upheld." He added, "We will mobilize all administrative resources to prevent even a single accident." Mayor Jung further emphasized, "We will create a model policy so that the Industrial Safety Keeper program can prove its effectiveness on the ground and be adopted by other local governments."
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