The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on the 11th that it will conduct a focused inspection of high-risk establishments vulnerable to winter safety accidents and cold waves in cooperation with the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency.
According to the ministry, over the past three years (2021~2023), the types of serious accidents that mainly occurred in winter were falls, entrapment, and collisions.
In December last year, an accident occurred at a food processing factory where a worker died after becoming trapped in a meat mixer. In December 2022, a worker lost their life after being hit by a reversing excavator at a waste storage site. Also, in December 2021, a worker died after falling when a vehicle-mounted aerial platform with a crane attached collided with an exterior wall.
In response, the ministry plans to inspect for fall accident prevention including ▲ installation of work platforms and safety railings ▲ installation and use of safety harnesses ▲ wearing safety helmets.
To prevent entrapment accidents, they will check for ▲ installation of protective devices such as covers on dangerous equipment ▲ installation of emergency stop devices ▲ attachment of maintenance stop signs.
For collision accident prevention, they will guide on ▲ drafting and adhering to work plans for vehicle and machinery operations ▲ separation of zones and tasks for mixed operations ▲ prohibition of entry and assignment of guides within the work radius.
Additionally, the ministry will share three basic rules for preventing cold-related illnesses among outdoor workers such as those in construction sites, cleaning and sanitation industries, and delivery workers. The three basic rules for cold-related illnesses are wearing warm clothes, drinking warm water, and taking breaks in warm shelters.
Choi Tae-ho, director of the ministry's Industrial Accident Prevention Supervision Policy, said, “When the weather turns sharply cold, safety accidents occur frequently,” and noted, “It is crucial that labor and management promptly address identified risk factors with pre-work safety inspection meetings.”