Hyundai Steel hit for buck-passing

Steel maker blames subcontractors for fatal accidents

By Kim Rahn

Hyundai Steel has never been held accountable for a series of accidents that killed a total of 10 workers at its plant in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, according to police.

The firm is under criticism for passing the buck to subcontractors and neglecting to prepare safety and supervisory measures that could prevent further fatal occurrences, with a gas leak last Friday claiming five lives.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor will conduct a special inspection on Hyundai Steel for one month, focusing on whether the company has properly managed its facilities and offered enough education on safety to workers.

Since last September, seven accidents in the plant, including an electric shock and a fatal fall, have killed 10 and left one person in a coma.

In Friday’s accident, five workers belonging to a subcontractor, Korea Refractories, were found dead at 1:45 a.m. inside an eight-meter-deep furnace, which they had entered to carry out maintenance. A police investigation found the workers died from a lack of oxygen after argon gas leaked into the closed furnace.

Hyundai Steel told the bereaved families of the dead employees the company had another subcontractor connect gas pipes to the furnace the day before the accident. Under normal procedures, gas pipes are connected after furnace maintenance is completed.

“We told them the temporary result of our own inspection. This is neither our official statement, nor the official probe result from the police. But we think we are responsible because it was Hyundai Steel that ordered the pipes to be connected,” a company spokesman said.

However, it remains to be seen whether the steelmaker will actually assume responsibility. It will not be easy to decide which party should be accountable between Hyundai and the subcontractor because the two sides share authority and responsibility for operations and safety measures.

In previous cases, Hyundai officials in charge of safety or supervision on plant operations have avoided legal responsibility or punishment.

Subcontractors have also received light punishment. In most cases, officials of subcontractors were indicted without being physically detained.

Asked whether Hyundai officials involved in previous cases have received any disciplinary action from the company, the spokesman said, “We cannot disclose this because it may have an influence on the ongoing police investigation.”

It was also alleged that the steelmaker hastened the operation to complete construction of its third furnace by September, thus sometimes skipping due procedures. The spokesman denied this, saying the furnace where the accident took place has nothing to do with the third one being built.

He said the company is talking with the bereaved family members about compensation. In previous cases, it had the subcontractors deal with post-accident affairs, including providing compensation.

“Previous accidents were industrial disasters, such as falling. But this case is different. We’ll thoroughly review what our faults were,” the spokesman said.

Officials of Korea Refractories refused to comment.

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions said in a statement that Hyundai Steel is responsible for the series of accidents. “Such accidents will continue unless the country improves the industrial safety management system which makes contractors avoid legal and economic liability even in cases of serious accidents involving death,” the labor group said.