This undated file photo shows a worker at a construction site. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, June 1 (Korea Bizwire) — Ahead of the enforcement of the so-called severe disaster law, which is slated to take effect next January, South Korea’s major construction companies are beefing up investment in safety.
Under the new legislation, business owners or CEOs are subject to at least one year in prison or up to 1 billion won (US$902,530) in fines in the event of deadly on-duty disasters caused by lax workplace safety measures.
Samsung C&T Corp. introduced a virtual reality (VR)-based smart training program this year and has used it about 100 times at its redevelopment construction sites.
The program enables construction workers to experience an environment similar to that in which safety accidents occurred, including the work of lifting construction materials, by using VR devices.
POSCO Engineering & Construction Co. deployed a self-walking robot for its tunnel construction. This robot plays the role of preventing accidents by checking the interior of tunnel construction sites for any safety hazard before workers go in after blasting.
The rank and authority of safety managers at construction companies are also being elevated. GS Engineering & Construction Co. introduced a safety manager system for construction sites, including tunnels, highways and ports, back in March.
POSCO E&C upgraded the position of the director responsible for the operation of the safety health center from director-level executive to Chief Safety Officer, while increasing the number of departments at the center from two to four.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
