On July 7, a tragic accident occurred at an apartment construction site in Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do, where the daytime high temperature reached 35 degrees Celsius. A 23-year-old Vietnamese national foreign worker, identified as Mr. A, died. At the time of discovery, Mr. A's body temperature was 40 degrees Celsius. Employment authorities immediately launched an investigation to determine whether the Serious Accidents Punishment Act was violated.
According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, Mr. A, who was working for a subcontractor at an apartment construction site being built by Daekwang Geonyeong, was found collapsed in the basement level 1 around 4:40 PM on the day of the incident. Although the daytime high temperature in Gumi on the day of the accident was 35 degrees Celsius, the perceived temperature inside the construction site, especially in the basement, is presumed to have been much higher due to poor ventilation and heat accumulation. These circumstances strongly suggest that Mr. A's death is likely related to a heat-related illness.
Immediately upon recognizing the accident, the Daegu Regional Employment and Labor Office and the Gumi Branch Office conducted an on-site investigation. The head of the Gumi Branch Office stated a strict principle of investigation regarding violations of the Industrial Safety and Health Act and the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, and immediately ordered a complete halt to all outdoor work. This is interpreted as a proactive measure to prevent similar accidents from recurring. Currently, the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the police plan to conduct an autopsy on Mr. A to determine the exact cause of death. The autopsy results are expected to provide crucial clues in understanding the circumstances and cause of the accident.
This incident has drawn significant attention to the applicability of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, which came into effect on January 27, 2022. The Serious Accidents Punishment Act stipulates that if a serious accident, such as the death of a worker due to an industrial accident, occurs at a business or workplace, the business owner or management responsible who violated their safety and health assurance obligations shall be punished. Specific application criteria include: ▲ one or more fatalities, ▲ two or more injured persons requiring treatment for 6 months or more due to the same accident, or ▲ three or more persons suffering from occupational diseases, such as acute poisoning, due to the same harmful factor within one year.
Especially, outdoor work during heatwaves carries a very high risk of heat-related illnesses due to high temperatures. The government emphasizes adherence to the 'three basic rules for preventing heatstroke (water, shade, rest)' when a heatwave warning is issued, and business owners have a duty to take sufficient measures in this regard. However, at construction sites, these rules are often not properly followed due to factors such as labor shortages and pressure to shorten construction periods, creating safety blind spots.
There is a growing call for urgent, fundamental improvements in the safety of foreign workers laboring in poor conditions and in the overall safety management of construction sites, using this accident as a catalyst. If Mr. A's death leads to the application of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, severe penalties for the business owner and management responsible are expected to be unavoidable. This is anticipated to serve as a wake-up call regarding safety complacency in industrial sites and contribute to enhancing safety awareness.
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