On the 14th, Dobong District in Seoul announced that workers managing parks and green spaces have developed a 'bees mesh integrated safety helmet' to avoid being stung while mowing grass with trimmers. It is said to be the first of its kind to be developed nationwide and is not currently sold in the market.
According to Dobong District, until now, when performing mowing tasks, workers had to wear both a safety helmet for trimmer use and a preventing bee sting mesh cap. In this case, the wire mesh attached to the safety helmet overlaps with the mesh preventing bees from entering, obstructing the workers' view.
In February, Dobong District requested the Korea Institute of Industrial Safety to review the production of 'integrated bee sting equipment.' As a result, they received a response stating, 'Existing products have a high risk of safety accidents, but developing an integrated product will be very helpful in preventing accidents.'
Subsequently, Dobong District completed product manufacturing last month and distributed the helmets to 51 temporary workers engaged in mowing tasks. It is explained that wearing the integrated safety helmet, combining the wire mesh and bee mesh, improves visibility and activity.
Dobong District, together with the Korea Institute of Industrial Safety, also established detailed work guidelines for preventing bee stings during trimmer operations. The guidelines include checking for bee nests beforehand and applying wasp deterrents, as well as operating the trimmer.
A district official noted, 'We plan to introduce the bees mesh integrated safety helmet and the work guidelines to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, as well as to the Seoul city government, and actively encourage their adoption.'
In addition, Dobong District conducted bee allergy tests on 51 trimmer workers, focusing on three types of bee venom: honey bee, ground bee, and wasp. They improved bee sting prevention equipment and also provided safety kits on site.