By Baek Byung-yeul
Samsung Group's compliance committee has told the conglomerate to have its affiliates embrace regulations on workplace safety and employee health, which will be strengthened starting next year.
The "Severe Disaster Law" has drawn keen attention from the country's manufacturing companies, which will be required to strengthen safety requirements at industrial sites starting Jan. 27, 2022.
The National Assembly passed the law early this year aiming to increase the level of accountability for business owners to prevent workplace fatalities caused by a lack of safety measures.
Under the new law, business owners and CEOs can be imprisoned for at least one year or fined up to 1 billion won ($852,645) for industrial accidents caused by poor workplace safety measures.
The compliance committee, led by former Supreme Court Justice Kim Ji-hyung, held its regular meeting at Samsung Life Insurance's headquarters in Seoul, Tuesday. After the meeting, the committee said it discussed industrial accident prevention measures at the group's construction and trading arm, Samsung C&T.
"Regarding strengthened regulations related to occupational safety and health, such as the Severe Disaster Act, which will take effect next year, the committee received a report of how Samsung C&T has strengthened its measures to prevent accidents," the compliance committee said.
"In particular, the committee noted that Samsung C&T is activating the right of laborers to halt work and urged the affiliate to continue to make efforts to meet strengthened legal regulations and external requirements," the committee added.
Samsung launched the committee in January of 2020, in order to monitor compliance of its affiliates with the toughened worker safety law and improve management transparency.
As a preemptive move, Samsung C&T introduced the right of laborers to stop working in the event of an urgent risk or serious accident. Though it is stipulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Act, companies have been lukewarm about informing workers of that right.
Samsung C&T also initiated what it calls "Design for Safety" teams comprised of experts in safety management to reduce the number of workplace accidents.
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| Samsung C&T employees read a notice informing laborers of their right to stop working in the event of an urgent risk, Aug. 31. Courtesy of Samsung C&T |
The "Severe Disaster Law" has drawn keen attention from the country's manufacturing companies, which will be required to strengthen safety requirements at industrial sites starting Jan. 27, 2022.
The National Assembly passed the law early this year aiming to increase the level of accountability for business owners to prevent workplace fatalities caused by a lack of safety measures.
Under the new law, business owners and CEOs can be imprisoned for at least one year or fined up to 1 billion won ($852,645) for industrial accidents caused by poor workplace safety measures.
The compliance committee, led by former Supreme Court Justice Kim Ji-hyung, held its regular meeting at Samsung Life Insurance's headquarters in Seoul, Tuesday. After the meeting, the committee said it discussed industrial accident prevention measures at the group's construction and trading arm, Samsung C&T.
"Regarding strengthened regulations related to occupational safety and health, such as the Severe Disaster Act, which will take effect next year, the committee received a report of how Samsung C&T has strengthened its measures to prevent accidents," the compliance committee said.
"In particular, the committee noted that Samsung C&T is activating the right of laborers to halt work and urged the affiliate to continue to make efforts to meet strengthened legal regulations and external requirements," the committee added.
Samsung launched the committee in January of 2020, in order to monitor compliance of its affiliates with the toughened worker safety law and improve management transparency.
As a preemptive move, Samsung C&T introduced the right of laborers to stop working in the event of an urgent risk or serious accident. Though it is stipulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Act, companies have been lukewarm about informing workers of that right.
Samsung C&T also initiated what it calls "Design for Safety" teams comprised of experts in safety management to reduce the number of workplace accidents.
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