Construction 'Safety Manager' Recruitment Defies Downturn Under Government Pressure... Two-Month Rebound [Real Estate AtoZ]

Decline Continued in First Half, Followed by Two Consecutive Months of Rebound in July and August
Construction Employment Down for 16 Straight Months... 'Defying the Downturn'
Presidential Orders Spur Companies to Expand Workforce
Government Signals Expansion of Mandatory Appointments... Labor Shortage Concerns for Small Construction Firms
'Recruitment Crisis' May Recur, Echoing the Serious Accidents Act Era

Recently, there has been a surge in demand for hiring safety managers. Despite the slump in the construction industry, demand for safety managers declined throughout the first half of this year, but has seen a sudden rebound for two consecutive months. With the government announcing measures to gradually expand the scope of mandatory safety and health manager appointments, recruitment demand is expected to grow even further. Some experts are warning of a potential shortage of safety managers.

On the 15th, the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced the expansion of workplaces required to have safety managers, triggering an emergency for companies to secure safety managers. The photo shows Hanwha Construction Division conducting a 'Heat Illness Prevention Campaign' to protect workers' health during the heatwave. Photo by Hanwha Construction Division.

According to data compiled by Saramin, a career-tech platform, on job postings for 'safety managers' and 'safety and health managers,' the number of job postings, which stood at 2,129 in January last year, fell to 1,596 by December. In January this year, it dropped sharply by 31.1% year-on-year to 1,466, marking the lowest point. Except for a slight uptick in March (+0.8%), the number continued to decrease through June (-6.9%), showing a consistent downward trend throughout the first half of the year.

A dramatic turnaround began in July. Job postings in July increased by 1.9% year-on-year to 1,974, signaling a return to growth. This rebound continued into August, with a 2.6% year-on-year increase to 1,876 postings. A Saramin official explained, "Although job postings for construction personnel have been declining due to the economic downturn, postings seeking safety managers increased in July and August after the inauguration of the Lee Jaemyung administration. Since job postings are influenced by seasonal factors, it is more accurate to compare them year-on-year."

This trend is the opposite of the overall downturn in the construction industry. According to Statistics Korea, the number of people employed in construction has decreased for 16 consecutive months. As of August, there were 132,000 fewer workers compared to the previous year.

Demand is expected to grow even further due to the 'Comprehensive Labor Safety Measures' announced by the Ministry of Employment and Labor on the 15th. The government plans to gradually expand the mandatory appointment of safety managers, which currently applies only to workplaces with 50 or more employees, by considering industry-specific risk levels. In addition, for small sites with fewer than 50 employees where there is currently no obligation to hire safety managers, the government plans to reduce blind spots by having a 'joint safety manager' visit at least once a month.

In the past, when the Serious Accidents Punishment Act was implemented and the criteria for mandatory deployment of safety managers were expanded, a 'recruitment crisis' occurred. The threshold for mandatory hiring, which was initially for projects worth 10 billion won or more, was gradually lowered to 8 billion won (July 2021), 6 billion won (July 2022), and finally 5 billion won (July 2023). There are concerns that a similar situation could arise again as the obligation to hire safety managers is expanded this time as well.

Choi Myungki, Vice President of the Korean Society of Construction Safety, said, "Expanding the hiring obligation itself is necessary, but the government is shifting all the responsibility onto companies without providing financial support. As a result, safety management personnel are concentrated in large corporations and public institutions that offer stable and high salaries, which may worsen the labor shortage for small and medium-sized enterprises that are less preferred." He added, "Ultimately, at small sites-which account for about half of all fatal accidents-there is a high likelihood that inexperienced workers or safety managers will be assigned only on paper. Therefore, practical follow-up measures such as cost compensation must be implemented going forward."