Gyeongnam Labor Community: "Signalman's Death at Changwon Manufacturing Plant Was Man-Made Disaster, Company Must Take Responsibility for Safety Management"

The labor community in South Gyeongsang Province has called for the strengthening of safety management systems at the primary contractor level, following a recent incident in which a signalman was killed after being struck by a reversing forklift at a manufacturing plant in Changwon.

On October 15, the National Metal Workers' Union and the Gyeongnam Headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions held a press conference in front of the Changwon Branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor to make this demand.

The National Metal Workers' Union and the Gyeongnam Headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions are holding a press conference in front of the Changwon Branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor regarding the death accident of a signalman at a manufacturing factory in the Changwon area. Photo by Lee Seryung

They pointed out, "According to the closed-circuit (CC)TV footage from the time of the accident, the storage facility where the incident occurred is located just inside the main gate of the factory, a place where both vehicles and pedestrians frequently pass, making it extremely hazardous."

They further explained, "At the time, a truck was trying to enter the factory, another truck was leaving, and a forklift was transporting materials, all moving simultaneously. It was a very difficult and dangerous situation for a single signalman to control."

They also criticized, "The forklift driver and the deceased signalman belonged to different subcontractors, both in cooperative relationships with the company. The primary contractor shifted its safety management responsibilities onto the subcontractors, resulting in a lack of integrated safety management at the site."

The union questioned, "When two trucks and a forklift approach at the same time, which vehicle is the signalman supposed to control?"

They went on to say, "After the serious accident occurred, the company only proposed measures that shift responsibility onto the workers, such as improving radio communication, dismissing signalmen for violating instructions, and providing signalman training, instead of addressing structural risk factors like the location of the storage facility or controlling vehicles and pedestrians during forklift operations. The company must take responsibility for this accident and issue an official apology."

They also urged, "The Ministry of Employment and Labor must investigate the root cause of the accident and punish those responsible. Administrative guidance is needed to ensure that the primary contractor fully assumes its safety management responsibilities for subcontractors."

Lee Donghwan, the branch president, stated, "This accident was a man-made disaster caused by the company's poor safety management and structural neglect. The company should not attribute the cause of this accident to carelessness by partner companies or individuals, but should acknowledge that it resulted from a failure of on-site safety management systems and offer a sincere apology."

He added, "Instead of providing only formal safety training, the company should establish a practical safety management system that involves on-site workers, and revise the safety manual to cover all employees, including outsourced and subcontracted workers, so that every worker can work in a safe environment."

Accident forklift. Provided by the Metal Workers' Union Gyeongnam Branch

Previously, at around 1:55 p.m. on October 13, a man in his 70s, identified as Mr. A, who was working as a signalman in a round steel plate (single shell) storage warehouse at a manufacturing plant in Seongsan-gu, Changwon, was struck and killed on site by a reversing 25-ton forklift.

The police are currently investigating the exact circumstances of the accident, including questioning Mr. B, the forklift driver in his 50s, and other site personnel.

The Changwon Branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor has issued a stop-work order and is investigating site personnel for possible violations of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and the Industrial Safety and Health Act.