HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has intensified its safety management efforts, including halting production at all factories and conducting special safety training, following a series of worker fatalities. Despite these measures, the number of deaths this year has risen to five.
According to industry sources, a worker who was seriously injured after being run over by a trailer at the Yongyeon plant on August 14 died on the morning of September 1.
The incident occurred at approximately 3:30 p.m. on August 14 when the worker was struck by the rear wheels of a trailer while it was backing up. The worker had been receiving treatment at a hospital. The union reported that the worker passed away at 6:20 a.m. due to multiple organ failure.
This latest death brings the total number of fatalities at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries this year to five. Previous incidents included a submarine fire in April, a crushing accident at the Ulsan and Gunsan shipyards in July, and a death at a welfare facility in the Ulsan shipyard last month.
In response to these accidents, the company has implemented stringent measures, including production halts and special safety training. Following the first major accident in April, production was halted for a day, and after another serious incident in July, the company again stopped operations and conducted special safety training. After additional accidents in July, production was suspended for three days starting July 29 for further safety training and inspections across all facilities.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor has also initiated intensive oversight at the Ulsan and Gunsan shipyards and the company headquarters, examining the overall safety and health management systems.
However, despite the company's repeated production halts and enhanced safety measures, the death toll has increased to five this year, as existing injury cases have resulted in fatalities. The variety of accident types and locations suggests that a reassessment of the overall safety management system is necessary, beyond just individual task improvements.
Kim Jong-dae, head of the policy planning office at the Metal Workers' Union's Hyundai Heavy Industries branch, stated, "All five incidents this year are types of accidents that have repeatedly occurred in the shipbuilding industry. While the company continues to invest in safety management and prevention measures, the effectiveness felt on the ground is lacking, and it is insufficient to protect workers' lives."
He added, "With the Ministry of Employment and Labor currently conducting special oversight on the three officially recognized major accidents, the occurrence of another fatality highlights the need for effective measures that can actually reduce accidents, rather than just oversight."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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