The labor authorities are launching a month-long inspection campaign focused on fall accidents as roof repairs and solar panel installations increase during the fall season. In light of recent incidents at fertilizer manufacturing plants, technical support will be provided to 1,116 facilities, along with safety materials in 17 languages for foreign workers.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on September 28 that it will conduct concentrated inspections at construction sites involving roofs and solar panels until October 27, while disseminating a 'fall accident warning' for these projects.
This initiative follows a series of fatal accidents related to roofing work. On July 11, a worker died after stepping on a removed steel plate while repairing a roof at a fertilizer manufacturing plant. Just days later, on July 16, another worker fell to their death after stepping on a skylight during roof repairs at a metal products factory.
Accidents continued last month as well. On August 12, a worker fell to their death when slate broke during the demolition of a roof on an abandoned building. Two days later, on August 14, a worker died after an old tarpaulin tore during reinforcement work on a warehouse roof.
Roof and solar panel projects often have short durations and are conducted on a small scale, which can lead to inadequate safety measures. The risk of damage is heightened as roofing materials such as skylights, slate, and sandwich panels age. Communication barriers also pose challenges for foreign workers, who may not fully understand safety training.
According to an analysis by the Ministry of Labor prior to this spring's concentrated inspections, deaths from roof and solar panel work accounted for about 10% of all fatalities in the construction industry from 2021 to 2025. Approximately 60% of these deaths occurred during the busy spring and fall seasons, with about 65% of accidents happening at small-scale sites with project costs under 100 million won.
During the inspection period, the ministry will collaborate with local governments and relevant agencies to expand campaigns and on-site inspections. Given the multiple accidents that have occurred during roof repairs at fertilizer manufacturing plants this year, 200 dedicated safety personnel will be deployed to provide technical support and financial assistance to all 1,116 fertilizer manufacturing plants nationwide.
To prevent falls during the reinforcement of old tarpaulins, safety and health materials, along with financial support guidelines, have been distributed to 432 tarpaulin manufacturing and construction companies. Measures are also being taken to enhance foreign workers' understanding of safety training, with key safety rules for roof and solar panel work translated into 17 languages, including Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese.
The government is also utilizing its support for safety facility installation costs. The Ministry of Labor provides up to 90% of the costs for small businesses that install safety harnesses, fall protection nets, and skylight covers.
Oh Young-min, head of the Ministry of Labor's Safety and Health Supervision Bureau, stated, 'Roofing materials such as skylights, slate, and tarpaulins can easily break or tear when they age, making proper safety measures essential. The government supports part of the costs for installing safety facilities, so businesses should ensure safety on roofs before commencing work.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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