The Democratic Party of Korea's "Euljilo Committee for the Protection of the Underprivileged" conducted an on-site inspection of POSCO E&C on August 6, following repeated occurrences of industrial accidents. Min Byungdeok, a Democratic Party lawmaker and chair of the Euljilo Committee, criticized, "These recurring accidents, typical of developing countries, are the result of a deeply rooted disregard for safety."
Min Byungdeok, along with Hwang Myungseon, a member of the Democratic Party's Supreme Council, and lawmakers Song Jaebong and Lee Kangil, all members of the Euljilo Committee, visited the POSCO E&C construction site for Section 1 of the Gwangmyeong~Seoul Expressway in Okgil-dong, Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province. There, they investigated the circumstances surrounding the electrocution accident involving a foreign worker.
On August 4, a foreign national from Myanmar in his 30s suffered cardiac arrest, believed to be caused by electrocution, at this construction site. As of now, he has not regained consciousness.
Heemin, President of POSCO E&C, is delivering a statement on the 29th at the Incheon Songdo headquarters regarding the consecutive on-site fatal accidents. President Jae-myung Lee mentioned and criticized the fact that workers have died due to consecutive industrial accident incidents at POSCO E&C sites this year during the morning Cabinet meeting opening remarks. Yonhap News
This year alone, POSCO E&C has experienced four fatal industrial accidents: a fatal fall at a new apartment construction site in Gimhae in January; a tunnel collapse at the Gwangmyeong Shinansan Line in April; a fatal fall at a mixed-use building site in Daegu in April; and a drilling rig entrapment accident at the Hamyang~Changnyeong Expressway construction site on July 28.
Through this inspection, the Euljilo Committee examined the following: the state of risk management at worksites where operations resumed after approval from POSCO E&C headquarters; management responsibility for eight repeated accidents since the enforcement of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act; and whether there is a lack of a comprehensive safety management system at the group level.
Min Byungdeok stated, "The 'three-month inspection' mentioned by POSCO Group is far too late. Immediate, rigorous, company-wide investigations and structural improvements must begin now, and measures to restrict public bidding for sites with repeated serious accidents should also be considered."
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