The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Authority of Land & Infrastructure Safety (KALIS) said on the 6th they will revise the "guidelines for using smart safety equipment." The move aims to promote the introduction of smart safety equipment that can reduce construction site accidents and to improve on-site usability.
The guidelines were distributed and applied to worksites in Mar. 2024 to provide guidance on the definition, performance standards, and use plans of smart safety equipment.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) gathered opinions from the field and from industry, academia, and research experts to specify the classification system for smart safety equipment in the guidelines into three major categories and seven mid-categories. The goal is to move away from an equipment-name-centered classification system so various smart safety devices can be accommodated.
The improved guidelines present recommended performance centered on functional elements and technical specifications, instead of fixed standards, so worksites can choose the optimal equipment. They also provide credible price information, including from Venture Nara, so worksites can easily check appropriate prices.
In addition, the guidelines outline procedures to reflect and use the expense of introducing smart safety equipment by utilizing safety management costs (Construction Technology Promotion Act) and safety and health management costs (Occupational Safety and Health Act).
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) and the Korea Authority of Land & Infrastructure Safety (KALIS) will release the revised guidelines starting today through each agency's website and the integrated information system for construction safety management. They also plan to carry out training and promotional activities on the guidelines for ordering agencies, construction businesses, and related organizations.
Park Dong-ju, head of construction safety at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), said, "Thanks to the joint efforts of the industry, workers, and the government, construction site accidents are decreasing, but there are still areas that fall short of what is felt on-site," and added, "We expect the revised guidelines to serve as standards that are practically helpful in preventing accidents and to be an opportunity for smart safety equipment to spread quickly to worksites."