As the nationwide local elections approach in two weeks, labor authorities are urging candidates to take precautions against accidents that may occur during the installation and removal of campaign banners.
According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor on May 18, a surge in banner work is expected ahead of the June 3 local elections, the ninth of its kind.
Each candidate is allowed to post banners up to twice the number of administrative districts they represent. In cases where electoral districts overlap, the total number of banners must be allocated according to the established regulations for each election. This means that with 7,829 candidates registered for this election, there could be a significant number of banners displayed.
Particularly, the installation and removal of banners often involve working from rooftops, ladders, or aerial work platforms, which increases the risk of falls. Given that these activities are concentrated and competitive during the election campaign period, thorough preparations are essential.
In fact, following the eighth nationwide local elections in 2022, there were a total of 350 industrial accidents related to banner work, with fall-related incidents accounting for 49.4% (173 cases) of the total.
In response, the Labor Ministry has urged candidates to pay special attention to preventing accidents during banner installation and removal. They have posted key accident cases and a safety checklist on their website and sent guidance text messages to registered candidates.
The ministry emphasized the importance of adhering to basic safety measures, including: wearing protective gear such as helmets during work, conducting pre-checks on equipment like ladders and aerial work platforms, securely stabilizing ladders to prevent falls, prohibiting movement while on elevated platforms, and deploying traffic controllers during road work.
Oh Young-min, Director of the Safety and Health Supervision Bureau at the Labor Ministry, stated, "The installation and removal of banners carry a high risk of falls, and a moment of negligence can lead to serious accidents. It is crucial that basic safety rules are followed during the election campaign to prevent accidents."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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