Regional Customized Serious Accident Prevention Project Launched with 14.3 Billion Won in National Funding

The Ministry of Employment and Labor, together with 11 local governments across the country, is officially launching the "Elimination of Blind Spots in Regional Serious Accident Prevention" project, tailored to the industrial characteristics and accident types of each region. The initiative aims to reduce serious accidents at worksites by providing customized safety support to vulnerable groups, such as small businesses and foreign workers.

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor on June 14, the government is introducing this project for the first time this year, allocating 14.3 billion won from the national budget. Through a public selection process, 11 local governments—Busan, Incheon, Gyeonggi, Chungbuk, Gyeongbuk, Gyeongnam, Jeonnam, Jeju, Daegu, Gwangju, and Ulsan—were chosen, and each region is implementing prevention projects that reflect their industrial status and accident trends.

In Jeonnam, the project "Making Jeonnam a Safe and Business-Friendly Workplace" is being operated for small businesses that have difficulty appointing safety managers. Professional consultants visit worksites directly to assess risk levels and provide support in safety training, consulting, environmental improvements, and follow-up management. For example, at a manufacturing company in Damyang, safety railings were installed at chemical storage facilities with fall hazards, and safety covers for rotating belts and anti-tip devices for ladders were provided.

Kim Young-hoon, Minister of Employment and Labor, visited the Hanwha Aerospace Daejeon factory in Oesam-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, where an explosion accident occurred on the 1st, to inspect the accident site. Photo by Yonhap News

Incheon is focusing on preventing suffocation accidents in confined spaces such as manholes and sewage treatment plants. The city is running hands-on entry training for workers to learn how to use gas detectors and air respirators, and conducting on-site safety inspections and equipment support for businesses with permits for hazardous work.

Gyeonggi Province is strengthening technical guidance at roof and high-altitude worksites to prevent falls, which are a major type of serious accident. A team of 112 "workplace safety guardians" is rotating throughout the region, inspecting construction sites and guiding the installation of safety railings and fall prevention nets. For foreign workers, safety education is also provided using simultaneous interpretation in 42 languages and virtual reality (VR) experiences.

In addition, Jeju is focusing on fishing vessels and tangerine packing houses; Busan on warehouse port logistics and ship repair industries; Ulsan on shipbuilding, automotive, and chemical industry partners; Chungbuk on small construction sites; Daegu and Gyeongbuk on small and medium-sized manufacturers in aging industrial complexes; and Gyeongnam on joint safety management for small businesses, all as part of their serious accident prevention efforts.

Ryu Hyuncheol, Director of the Industrial Safety and Health Headquarters, stated, "The project to eliminate blind spots in regional serious accident prevention is the first initiative led by local governments to prevent serious accidents throughout their regions," adding, "We will actively support overcoming the limitations of safety and health management faced by small local businesses and truly address safety disparities at worksites."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.