The number of industrial accident fatalities for which bereavement compensation was approved last year was calculated to be 827, a slight increase compared to a year ago. Traffic accidents involving labor providers, such as 'delivery riders,' were frequent. In addition, due to the aftermath of the 'Ariel accident' in Hwaseong last year, the payment of bereavement compensation due to 'fire' has significantly increased.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on the 30th the '2024 bereavement compensation approval standards for fatal accident status.' This statistic summarizes the number of bereavement compensation 'approvals' from the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service last year. Even if the fatal accident occurred before 2024, if bereavement compensation was paid last year, it is included in this statistic.
The number of approved fatal accidents for bereavement compensation was 827 last year, an increase of 15 from 812 in 2023. The fatality rate for industrial accident insurance subscribers, which refers to the number of fatalities per 10,000 subscribers, was 0.39%, similar to the level of a year ago. A Ministry of Employment and Labor official noted, 'Since July 2023, the number of subscribers to industrial accident insurance for labor providers has significantly increased, which has contributed to the rise in the number of approved fatal accident cases for bereavement compensation.'
By industry, the fatalities were as follows: ▲ construction 328 ▲ manufacturing 187 ▲ service 145 ▲ transportation, warehousing, and communication 138. Compared to 2023, there was a decrease of 28 in construction, while manufacturing and transportation, warehousing, and communication saw increases of 22 and 27, respectively. The decrease in fatalities in construction is believed to reflect the adverse impact of poor construction conditions.
By type of accident, there were ▲ falls 278 ▲ trapped 97 ▲ traffic accidents outside the workplace 87 ▲ collisions 80 ▲ crushed 54 ▲ struck (falling; flying) 52 ▲ fire 33. Of these, the number of fatalities due to 'fire' increased by 26 compared to a year ago, influenced by the fire fatality accident that occurred at the Ariel plant in Hwaseong in June last year.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor decided to strengthen management and supervision of business sites. Among the business sites that have already been supervised, they will conduct unannounced inspections of the safety and health measures for 100 sites with a high risk of accident recurrence.
Additionally, as traffic accidents outside the business sites of labor providers such as riders and delivery drivers occur frequently, it was decided to allocate a budget of 400 million won this year to support industrial accident prevention activities. Through an open call, they will support free motorcycle inspections, replacement of consumables such as brake pads and engine oil, and also provide protective equipment such as noticeable reflective stickers, reflective vests, reflective plates, and seat belts.