Despite a downward trend in industrial accident fatalities in the first quarter of this year, the number of entrapment accidents in the manufacturing sector has increased, prompting labor authorities to conduct inspections.
On May 15, the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced that Ryu Hyun-cheol, head of the Industrial Safety and Health Agency, led surprise inspections alongside local officials and safety inspectors to eradicate entrapment accidents in manufacturing.
According to the ministry's statistics for the first quarter of 2026, the number of industrial accident fatalities decreased to 113, down 24 (17.5%) from the same period last year. This marks the lowest number of fatalities recorded for the first quarter since the ministry began compiling such data, with 98 deaths reported, a decrease of 31 (24.0%) from 129 fatalities in the first quarter of the previous year.
However, fatalities in the manufacturing sector rose sharply to 52, an increase of 23 (79.3%) compared to 29 deaths a year earlier. The number of fatal accidents also rose to 39, up 10 (34.5%) from 29 in the same period last year. A significant factor contributing to this rise was a surge in fatalities from fire, explosion, and rupture incidents, which increased by 14 (700%) to 16 deaths due to a fire incident in March. Other causes of fatalities included entrapment (8 deaths), crushing and overturning (7 deaths), collisions (5 deaths), and being struck by objects (5 deaths).
In response, labor authorities are focusing on ensuring compliance with key safety protocols, such as shutting off power during maintenance and inspections, to prevent entrapment accidents in manufacturing. Ryu also conducted an unannounced visit to a metal product manufacturing facility in Gimpo, where entrapment incidents have repeatedly occurred, to assess safety management practices.
The inspections revealed several safety hazards, including the absence of protective covers on rotating machinery, lack of safety railings at openings, and inadequate measures to prevent slips due to oil leaks. Immediate improvements were ordered for these risks. Ryu emphasized that slippery conditions caused by oil leaks and mist could lead to major accidents, similar to the recent fire incident, and called for fundamental measures to eliminate these hazards.
Ryu Hyun-cheol stated, "Ensuring safety is a fundamental responsibility that companies must fulfill. Workplace safety cannot be compromised or negotiated. To prevent repeated entrapment accidents, it is essential to turn off power during machine maintenance and repairs. This basic principle of power shutdown must be strictly adhered to in the field to save lives."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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