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18 shipyard workers have died in serious accidents in South Korea this year

According to statistics released by the Federation of Korean Metal Worker’ Trade Unions (KOSUN) on Dec. 27, 18 workers in South Korea’s shipbuilding industry died in serious accidents this year, most of them outsourced workers.

In terms of months, except for July, August, October and November, all other months had fatal accidents. By accident type, they included: explosion (7), fall (6), crush (3) and diving (2). By shipyard, Hanwha Ocean had 3 accidents (3 deaths), HD Hyundai had 3 accidents (3 deaths), Samsung Heavy Industries had 1 accident (1 death), and other small and medium-sized shipyards had 7 accidents (11 deaths).

On January 12, an explosion occurred in the rudder manufacturing workshop of Hanwha Marine Geoje Shipyard, killing a subcontractor worker (in his 20s) who was performing grinding work. On January 18, a subcontractor worker (in his 60s) died after falling from a 3-meter-high steel ladder while performing welding work at Samsung Heavy Industries Geoje Shipyard. On the 24th of the same month, a diver (in his 30s) belonging to a subcontractor was found unconscious at the dock of Hanwha Ocean Geoje Shipyard while removing barnacles from the hull. He died despite failed rescue efforts.

On January 12 of this year, an explosion occurred in the rudder fabrication shop at Hanwha Ocean Geoje Shipyard, resulting in the death of a subcontractor’s worker (in his 20s) who was engaged in grinding work, and on January 18, a subcontractor’s worker (in his 60s) fell to his death from a 3-meter-high steel ladder while carrying out welding work at Samsung Heavy Industries Geoje Shipyard. On the 24th of the same month, a diver (in his 30s) belonging to a subcontractor was found unconscious at the pier of Hanwha Ocean Geoje Shipyard while removing barnacles from the hull of a ship, and died after failing to be rescued.

On February 12, a subcontractor worker (in his 60s) was crushed to death by a fallen 9,000-ton steel structure while transferring large modules at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Ulsan shipyard.

On May 10, a worker in his 20s lost consciousness while diving to remove barnacles from the hull of a ship at the pier of HD Hyundai Samho, and was taken to the hospital, where he died the next day.

On September 9, a subcontractor worker (in his 30s) fell to his death from a height of 32 meters while working at night at Hanwha Ocean’s Geoje Shipyard.

On December 18, a worker (in his 30s) at HD Hyundai Mipo fell to his death from a height of about 12 meters inside the shipyard.

This year, the number of fatal accidents at small and medium-sized shipyards in Korea is comparable to that of the three major shipbuilding groups (HD Hyundai, Samsung Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean). Worker fatalities have occurred at small and medium-sized shipyards in Mokpo and Busan, including HSG Seongdong Shipbuilding, Chosok HD, Kumkang Heavy Industries, Dae Sun Shipbuilding and K Shipbuilding.

A KOSUN press spokesman said, “The causes of major accidents are complex, but profit and production-centeredness is the biggest reason. Many shipyards focus only on costs and do not invest enough resources in expanding and improving safety facilities. Major accidents always happen when workers are rushing to meet deadlines.”

Another Korean industry insider said, “When a major accident occurs, the shipyard will report unrealistic rectification measures in a short period of time in order to lift the shutdown order as soon as possible. These measures are not only inapplicable in actual work, but also have side effects and weaken the competitiveness of enterprises.”

In addition, large shipping companies often hire more experienced head law firms to respond to lawsuits in order to avoid legal penalties after accidents. According to Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL), a tally of 23 cases of violations of the Fatal Accident Punishment Act found that only one of the large firms was found to have violated the law.

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