Starting in February, expenses for placing heating and cooling devices on construction sites or installing temporary休息 facilities can be accounted as industrial safety and health management expenses. The costs incurred will be recognized as measures to prevent workers from heat and cold-related illnesses and other industrial accidents.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on the 21st that it will give an administrative notice for a partial revision of the 'Standards for Accounting and Usage of Industrial Safety and Health Management Expenses in the Construction Industry' that includes these details by Feb. 7. This revision will take effect on Feb. 12.
Industrial safety and health expenses are payments made separately by the client to the contractor to prevent potential industrial accidents on construction sites. These are to be used for safety manager wages, personal protective equipment like helmets, and safety facility installations. This applies to construction sites with a total project amount of over 20 million won.
However, there were opinions that the scope of what could be spent under industrial safety and health expenses was limited on construction sites. In response, the government noted that it prepared this revision to allow the use of industrial safety and health expenses as much as possible to reflect actual needs on construction sites.
First, the government has established regulations to include expenses for installing temporary休息 facilities or renting heating and cooling devices as part of industrial safety and health expenses. Additionally, costs for providing drinks or chairs in temporary休息 facilities will also be recognized as industrial safety and health expenses.
Moreover, the limit for purchasing items deemed necessary through risk assessments by labor and management will also be increased. The existing usage limit will be raised from 10% to 15%. The limit for using industrial safety and health expenses for purchasing or renting smart safety equipment will also be expanded from 10% to 20%.
Additionally, the types of protective equipment that can be purchased with industrial safety and health expenses will be expanded, and training aimed at preventing industrial accidents can also be accounted for as industrial safety and health expenses.
Kim Jong-yoon, head of the Ministry of Employment and Labor's Industrial Safety and Health Bureau, said, "This revision is expected to contribute to creating a safe working environment."