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The Serious Accident Punishment Act, which was created to prevent workers from getting injured and killed at work, will soon be in effect on the 100th day.

Although the voices emphasizing 'safety' have grown louder than before, companies say 'the law is vague', and workers say that there is still a lack of measures to prevent accidents in the field.



First, let's take a look at what reporter Jae Hee-won reported on the site.



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In December 2018, a 24-year-old young man got caught in a conveyor belt and died at that power plant behind me.



This is the late Kim Yong-gyun, who dreamed of converting to a full-time job and went to work alone at night.



With Mr. Kim's death as an opportunity, our society enacted the Act on Punishment of Serious Disasters, and how safe has our workplaces been since the law was enacted?



In the first quarter of this year, there were 141 industrial accidents.

157 people died.



Compared to the same period last year, there were 22 fewer accidents and 9 fewer deaths.



It's getting a little better, but there are still more than 50 workers dying every month in the workplace, and more people getting hurt.



Since the enforcement of the law, 54 cases of serious industrial accidents occurred at workplaces with 50 employees and more than KRW 5 billion, out of which 20 have been criminally prosecuted and investigated, but no companies have been punished yet.



100 days after the law came into force, there are still mixed views on workplace safety.

Let's go together.



An inside view of the Taean Thermal Power Plant last month.



Managers install mobile black boxes throughout the aisles of the workplace.



As workers move, managers follow with black boxes.



Only 387 black boxes were introduced by Korea Western Power before and after the implementation of the Serious Disaster Act.



We have spent tens of millions of won on this kind of filming equipment, including body cams and additionally installed CCTVs.



The situation at other power plants is similar.



Workers protest that it is for surveillance.



[Boryeong Thermal Power Plant Worker: Find what the worker or supervisor did wrong and use the recorded video information as evidence so that the punishment does not go up to the management.

(If you do not agree to filming), I will not let you work.]



The company explains that it was installed to prevent workers from violating safety rules and to find and improve risk factors.



[Power plant official: It is for facility monitoring and (preparation) for safety accidents (preparation.) It is not for the purpose of monitoring employees.]



Then, how much other safety facilities have been reinforced other than the camera?



The extra-high voltage motor around Taean Thermal Power Unit 9, which was filmed two days ago, and the safety fence for preventing falls shake.



Last month, the area around the boiler at Boryeong Power Plant Unit 8 was covered with ashes, making it difficult to breathe.



Workers have asked for improvement several times, but it is still there.



The company claimed that it was spending generously to reduce the liability for accidents, but neglecting safety facilities.



The power generation companies explained that they are also continuously investing in eliminating hazards during operation and improving working conditions.



(Video coverage: Kim Hak-mo, Kim Seong-il, video editing: Kim Jun-hee, CG: Kang Kyung-rim)



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