Gangnam District launches QR-based multilingual safety training for construction workers

Gangnam District Office head Cho Seong-myeong, left, poses during a partnership signing ceremony with Ctech Solution to introduce a QR code-based multilingual safety training system at local construction sites, Monday. Courtesy of Gangnam District Office

In the bustling, skyscraper-laden district of Gangnam in southern Seoul, construction sites operate at a frantic pace. But beneath the gleaming glass towers lies a chronic safety challenge: hundreds of foreign laborers navigating hazardous environments with minimal, outdated safety training.

To address this vulnerability, the Gangnam District Office, led by Mayor Cho Seong-myeong, announced an initiative to implement a QR code-based, multilingual smart safety training system. The program targets the district’s 326 active construction sites, shifting the burden of safety compliance from top-level managers directly to the workers on the ground.

Under current Korean regulations, construction laborers are only required to complete a one-time, four-hour basic safety course. Because this certification remains valid for life, there is no legal mandate for refresher training, even as site conditions constantly evolve.

For foreign workers, the language barrier compounds the danger. Existing training modules rely heavily on Korean, leaving nonnative speakers dependent on spotty subtitles or informal, uncertified translations by site foremen.

Gangnam’s solution leverages mobile technology.

Through a partnership with CTech Solution Co., the district is deploying "SAFEE," a mobile platform accessible via QR codes posted around construction zones. By scanning the code with a smartphone and entering a phone number, workers can instantly access safety modules translated into 22 different languages.

The digital library includes over 130 microlearning videos, each under three minutes long. This brief format allows teams to easily integrate them into daily preshift safety briefings. The platform also pushes targeted alerts during seasonal crises, such as extreme heatwaves or torrential monsoons, and tracks compliance via automated monthly reports.

“Safety at construction sites cannot be overstated and it must be accurately communicated to every single worker,” Cho said. “By ensuring that all foreign laborers have access to repetitive, easily understood safety training, we aim to eliminate blind spots and achieve a zero-accident Gangnam.”

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.