Hyundai, Daelim, Daewoo rapped for poor safety management

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Hyundai Engineering & Construction headquarters in Seoul / Courtesy of Hyundai E&C

Hyundai Engineering & Construction (E&C) had the highest number of workplace deaths among local builders in July, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Monday.

An accident at a rain drainage reservoir construction site in Yangcheon-gu, southwestern Seoul, managed by Hyundai E&C, led to the death of three workers that month.

According to government data, Hyundai E&C construction saw three deaths, followed by Daelim, Daewoo Engineering & Construction, Hyundai Development Company, Jungheung Construction and Shindonga Construction each having one.

The six companies were selected from the top 100 builders in Korea.

The land ministry said it will conduct intensive safety inspections at construction sites with the Office for Government Policy Coordination and the Ministry of Employment and Labor.

In particular, the ministry has been conducting impromptu inspections at GS Engineering & Construction and Jungheung Construction worksites, since Aug. 23.

GS E&C suffered five deaths at its worksites in the first half of the year while Jungheung Construction saw three.

Daewoo E&C also had five deaths, but the labor ministry already began supervising its construction sites in April.

“We've revised legislation over the past two years and strengthened safety guidelines at construction sites,” a ministry official said.

“In the future, we will concentrate on reducing the number of deaths by monitoring whether construction quality and safety regulations are implemented and followed on sites.”

The ministry will seek to create a culture that voluntarily prevents deadly accidents, putting responsibility not only on site managers but also management headquarters.

The land ministry has been releasing monthly workplace fatality data since July in an attempt to create a safer work environment on construction sites.