Daewoo E&C to bolster safety system

Daewoo E&C CEO Kim Hyung, third from left, talks to managers at a construction site near Maegyo Station in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, on March 17. Courtesy of Daewoo E&C

By Kim Jae-heun

Daewoo Engineering & Construction (Daewoo E&C) will increase its commitment to strengthening worksite safety by establishing a smart safety system.

The firm, in February, held a meeting to discuss various ways to reduce worksite accidents and how to improve the safety system it already has in place.

In addition to the existing safety-related departments within different operational headquarters, the company recently established a safety committee directly under the chief financial officer.

Daewoo E&C plans to increase the number of safety managers at construction sites this year and will continue to increase the number in the near future.

All staff at the construction firm will have to take mandatory safety-related educational programs twice a year. This is expected to promote safety awareness as a fundamental value for staff and maximize both efficiency and safety at construction sites.

In addition, field managers will be educated about the legal ramifications of safety issues under the supervision of the quality safety office to promote awareness. Personnel will undergo evaluation on their understanding and application of the content.

The company will send inspectors at least once every quarter to check if staff are conforming to safety management standards. In the event of anomalies, site operations will be suspended to prevent the possibility of serious accidents.

Daewoo E&C will strengthen disciplinary action against individuals who cause workplace disasters.

In the event of an industrial accident, all those involved including the safety manager at the worksite as well as the head of the business headquarters will be held responsible.

Also, team leaders who score low in safety appraisals for two consecutive quarters in their personnel evaluations will be replaced. Conversely, the company will reward those who complete construction projects with no accidents.

Daewoo E&C recently implemented its CLEAR program, which stands for Commitment, Listen & Speak, Eliminate, Appreciate and Relationship. The program urges workers at construction sites to keep communication lines open and be aware of each other's safety.