Hanwha Aerospace Expands CSO Authority, Grants Independent Power to Halt Operations

Follow-up measures after accident at Daejeon plant
Specialized unit for hazardous processes also to be established

Hanwha Aerospace has moved to strengthen its safety management system following an accident at its Daejeon plant last June. It is pursuing measures to prevent a recurrence, including expanding the authority of its chief safety officer (CSO) and establishing a specialized organization dedicated to hazardous processes.

Hanwha Building in Janggyo-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul. Hanwha.

Hanwha Aerospace said on October 30 that it had held a “Safety Innovation Proclamation Ceremony,” attended by approximately 2,500 employees from its Daejeon, Boeun and Yeosu plants.

The event was part of the safety innovation initiatives launched after the accident at the Daejeon plant last June. Over the past five months, Hanwha Aerospace has worked to improve its management system by reassessing safety risks across its plants and increasing the number of occupational safety and health personnel.

At the ceremony, the company announced its safety innovation direction and key initiatives, and labor and management representatives jointly pledged to uphold safety practices. They presented five core principles: preventing recurrence through communication and information sharing; safety management based on data and expertise; putting safety first in management; building a site-centered safety system; and responsible implementation.

Hanwha Aerospace plans to elevate the status of the CSO position and expand the CSO’s authority to independently order work to stop at sites where safety principles are not being followed.

The company will also establish a specialized organization to conduct detailed analyses and assessments of every stage of hazardous processes involving explosives and other materials. It plans to introduce remote-control systems and automated equipment for high-risk processes to separate workers from hazards.

In addition, the company plans to regularly review the implementation of its safety innovation initiatives and share the results with employees.

Lee Buhwan, CEO of Hanwha Aerospace, said, “We will provide all the resources needed to ensure that the principle of ‘safety first’ takes root throughout the company. As CEO, I will lead the way in ensuring that every organization—not just the safety department—takes responsibility for safety.”

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