The government held an emergency meeting with safety and health managers at Coupang logistics centers and said, "Please prevent a recurrence of the deaths of night-shift workers."
According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) on the 3rd, Deputy Minister Ryu Hyeon-cheol, head of the Industrial Safety and Health Headquarters, met with the chief safety officer (CSO) and health managers of Coupang logistics centers in the Seoul and Gyeonggi regions at the Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency (KOSHA) Seoul Regional Headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul, to focus on checking measures to protect the health of night-shift workers and the occupational health management system.
Recently, a series of fatal accidents involving night-shift workers occurred at Coupang logistics centers. Of the eight Coupang delivery drivers and logistics center workers who died this year, six were reportedly assigned to night shifts.
Health managers from a total of seven centers, including four centers where fatal accidents occurred this year, attended the meeting. The ministry asked them to check the following: ▲ management of workload and work intensity for night-shift labor ▲ ensuring rest breaks ▲ implementation of follow-up management for high-risk workers after health checkups.
Deputy Minister Ryu Hyeon-cheol said, "The deterioration of night-shift workers' health is ultimately an issue directly linked to the sustainability of corporations," adding, "Even considering the characteristics of the logistics industry, health management is not optional but mandatory, and safety devices that can minimize risks must be put in place."
Meanwhile, starting on the 10th, the ministry will inspect Coupang logistics centers and delivery camps to check whether health-rights protection measures are being implemented, including night work, rest facilities, and post-health checkup follow-up. The ministry warned that if any violations or areas needing improvement are identified, it will issue immediate corrective measures.