An accident occurred on the 19th at the SPC Samlip bakery factory, resulting in the death of a worker.
According to the Siheung Police Station, a female worker in her 50s, referred to as A, died while working at the SPC Samlip Sihwa factory at 3 a.m. that day. It is reported that A became trapped while spraying lubricant on the conveyor belt and died. When the fire authorities arrived on the scene, A was unresponsive and had her skull had been damaged.
The police are said to have secured statements from workers indicating that when the factory is fully operational, there are situations where the conveyor belt squeaks and requires deep insertion of the body to perform lubrication work.
They also plan to secure closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage to investigate the detailed circumstances of the accident. If it is revealed that safety procedures were not properly followed, they plan to charge those responsible for the accident with negligent homicide.
SPC Samlip issued an apology through CEO Kim Beom-soo, stating, “We pray for the soul of the deceased who passed away due to this unexpected accident, and we express our deepest condolences and apologies to the bereaved family.” They added, “We are currently cooperating sincerely with the investigation by relevant authorities and are doing our best to accurately determine the cause of the accident and to take follow-up measures.”
In addition, they stated, “Immediately after the accident, we halted factory operations, and we will also work to ensure the psychological stability of fellow employees who worked in the same area,” adding, “Once again, we express our deep condolences to the deceased and the bereaved family, and we will put forth every effort to address the incident and prevent a recurrence with a sense of heavy responsibility.”
Earlier, in August 2023, a female worker in her 50s died after becoming caught in a dough machine at the Seongnam Shani bakery factory. In 2022, a female worker in her 20s died after being caught in a sauce mixer at the Pyeongtaek SPL bakery factory. At this factory, a female worker in her 50s suffered a fracture after her finger became caught in a machine, and a subcontractor worker in her 20s sustained head injuries due to an accident where the conveyor dropped.